The Good, The Bad and The Fangy
by dawnm
Summary: What might a slayer slay 100 years B.C.? How do two California city girls fare in the great outdoors? Sequel to my story Ages Apart. Please Read & Review. RomanceAction. BW
1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Title: The Good, The Bad and The Fangy

By: dawnm

Spoilers: Takes place around Buffy season 3 episode "Choices" and Xena season 2 episode "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", but events from all episodes prior to those are fair game for mention here as well.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Sequel to my story "Ages Apart". What happens to Buffy and Willow when a spell goes seriously awry? With the slayer um, out of the picture, what will happen to Sunnydale? Pls Read & Review. B/W, X/G

Pairings: Buffy/Willow, Xena/Gabrielle

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Chapter 1 - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh" Joxer screamed as he appeared on the scene, running from a pack of wolves.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh" Gabrielle screamed, startled to see Joxer running straight at her. He knocked the bard to the ground and kept running. The wolves were right on his heels and trampled the bard as they passed by, hot on Joxer's trail.

"Get out! Get out of here!" Xena yelled, pulling her whip from Argo's saddle horn and ordering the horse away from the fray.

"Woah woah woah woah woah woah." Joxer continued to scream, scrambling partway up a nearby tree in an attempt to escape the wolves.

Buffy got up from the ground and tried to help Willow to her feet. The redhead was still weak from the spell and more than a little disoriented by the sudden rush of events. One of the wolves took a keen interest in the hacker who seemed an easy target.

Xena ran to Gabrielle, who was still lying on the ground, and swiftly pulled the bard to her feet. "Stay behind me!" She ordered, pushing Gabrielle behind her as the warrior faced off with the wolf pack.

"You don't have to tell me twice." The bard replied, hiding behind Xena with her hands resting on the warrior's hips.

Buffy pulled Willow to her feet then and the redhead leaned against a nearby tree for support. When the wolf lunged at the hacker's leg, the slayer dived in front of her, kicking the wild dog squarely in the chest and sending it sprawling into a nearby tree, yelping in pain.

"Be careful, Buffy." Xena called, cracking the whip at the wolves that were surrounding the tree that Joxer had sought refuge in. "These aren't ordinary wolves. They're Bacchae."

"You dumb mutt! You--! And, you--! Gotcha! Get outta here! Mister Mean Dog! Mister 'Nip me in the--'" Joxer taunted the wolves, now that he was safely out of their reach.

He lost his footing then and his leg slid down the tree a ways, just enough that the leader of the pack could reach him. The wolf sank his teeth into Joxer's boot, pulling with all his might. "Aaahhhh, Xena! Help! Get off of me! Ooh! Ow! Ow ow ow ow!" Joxer cried as he fought to hold onto the tree branch above him.

Xena stepped up her attack then, cracking the whip at the wolves, snapping one directly across the snout. The wolf yelped and ran away. A few more well placed shots with her whip and the warrior had effectively scattered the pack. Finally, the wolves retreated into the forest.

"Yeah! Get out of here! And...and don't come back, either! Ha Ha Ha." Joxer taunted, trying to save face after his cowardly behavior. He started to breathe heavily and stumbled a little, as if he might start hyperventilating or simply faint and fall from the tree.

"Joxer!" Gabrielle called, seeing his unsteadiness.

"Huh?" He replied.

"Are you all right? " The bard asked.

"Me? Ha-ha-ha-ha-yeah. Never better! You see...the secret to defeating a wolf pack is to wear 'em down. I had those mongrels right where I wanted 'em." He replied, trying to appear manly in front of Gabrielle as he hopped down from the tree.

"Uh-huh?" Xena said doubtfully. "So, what brings you to these parts?"

"Mission - to save the world. Package - from Orpheus to Xena." Joxer answered self-importantly.

"Orpheus?" Xena questioned, grabbing the sack that Joxer held out.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Speaks for itself." Joxer replied, as Xena opened the sack and reached inside.

"Aaaaaaahhhh" Orpheus screamed, as the warrior pulled his head out of the sack, dangling him by his hair.

"Eeww." Gabrielle responded catching sight of the body-less head. Willow, who was still trying to get her bearings, gasped at the sight and struggled to stay upright as she felt her knees start to give way.

"Are you alright, Will?" Buffy asked, helping to steady the girl.

"Uh huh. I'll be okay." The redhead replied. "I think maybe I should sit down." Buffy led her to a nearby stump where the hacker gratefully took a seat.

"Ouuuchh! Ow! Ow! Ouch! Ouch!" Orpheus continued.

"_Never_ pick him up by his hair." Joxer advised, taking the head from Xena and holding it on his lap as he sat down on a rock ledge.

"Orpheus, Bacchus did this to you." Xena charged.

"I thought you'd recognize his handiwork. Since we last met, I've dedicated my life to stopping Bacchus. For a long time, my music worked. But now, he's cursed me. He took my body, but left me eyes and ears to see and hear all the evil he brings to the world. For as long as Bacchus lives on Earth, I will live in agony." Orpheus replied.

"So, it _was_ Bacchus who took those girls." Gabrielle guessed.

"Yes. Tomorrow night he'll make them full-fledged Bacchae." Orpheus confirmed.

"And you want _my_ help." Xena noted.

"I've hated you for a long time, Xena. And you're the last person I'd ask for a favor. But you're the only person who knows Bacchus well enough to do the job." He replied.

"Do you still have your lyre?" Xena asked.

"I've kept it hidden in town with my friend, Melodus. He can play it while I sing." He explained.

"Knowing Bacchus, it won't be safe for long. Come on." Xena informed them, turning to walk away.

"Not so fast, Xena. I want to remind you that innocent lives are at stake. Maybe this time you'll be more careful." Orpheus added sarcastically.

The warrior ignored the comment, instead turning to Joxer. "Find a way to make him presentable and then we'll leave." She ordered.

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"What was that all about?" Gabrielle asked as she followed Xena over to where Buffy and Willow were sitting.

"My army fought Bacchus a long time ago. And on the final day of the battle, an innocent woman got caught between my army and Bacchus' forces. The fighting was fierce. There was no way we could protect her and she was killed. I'm sure it was Bacchus who killed her, but Orpheus always blamed us both." Xena explained.

"Who was she?" The bard asked softly.

"Orpheus' wife." Xena answered sadly before turning her attention to Willow and Buffy.

"How are you doing?" She asked, looking down at the hacker.

"I'm feeling a little better." The redhead assured her.

"Do you think you can make the walk toward town?" Xena asked.

"Uh, I think so. I'll try." Willow answered.

"Mind telling us what's up?" Buffy interjected then, feeling more than a little out of the loop.

"I'm sorry you got stuck in the middle of all this." The warrior said sincerely. "But we need to get moving. Gabrielle can fill you in on the way. Ready?"

Buffy looked to Willow, who nodded and got to her feet.

"So, you're Joxer?" Buffy asked when the warrior wanna-be came to a stop beside her.

"Yep, that's me, Joxer, The Mighty." He proclaimed. Buffy and Willow shared a look and tried to stifle their laughter.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Joxer asked, giving the two girls an odd look. He had been to a lot of places, met a lot of different people, but he'd never seen women wearing _pants _before.

"Nope. We're just visiting. I'm Buffy, by the way." The slayer said. "And this is Willow."

"What kind of name is Buffy? I've never heard _that_ before." Joxer noted.

"Hey Joxer, get up here and leave our friends alone, will ya?" Xena called.

Gabrielle fell in step beside Willow and advised the slayer and hacker on everything that they knew about Bacchus and his plans, as the group walked toward town.

"So, this guy is some kind of god, like Zeus or something?" Buffy questioned. The bard nodded. "But aren't gods supposed to be good?" The slayer asked.

"Ha. Not the ones I know." Gabrielle replied.

"A-and the Bacchae are like vampires?" Willow asked.

"Kind of, yeah." The bard replied.

"_Figures_." Buffy retorted. "I get sucked into some _time portal_ and dropped two thousand years in the past and I _still_ can't get a day off." She quipped.

----------------------------------------------------

Within an hour, the group was coming to the edge of town. They could hear music playing and see people dancing in the street. "A festival..." Gabrielle noted. "Looks like fun."

"Yeah, every year the villagers have a festival to scare away the Bacchae. They have a prize for best costume, too." Joxer replied. "Guess we know who's winning this year." He added, looking back at Orpheus, who looked like a scarecrow, riding atop Argo. As Xena had ordered, Joxer had made him 'presentable' by fashioning a body for him out of some old clothes stuffed with straw.

"Ha-ha! Very funny." Orpheus interjected.

"Here I thought I'd seen it all." Buffy commented. "But you guys...you lead a _very_ strange life."

They walked into town and entered Melodus' shop. "Melodus?" Orpheus called. Getting no response, he added, "He must be in the back room."

Xena pulled back the curtain to enter the room and there they found Melodus hanging from the ceiling. He had obviously been murdered. "Melodus...no!" Orpheus cried.

Gabrielle and Willow were shocked by the sight of the man and quickly averted their eyes from the gruesome sight. His body was mutilated and caked in blood.

"The Bacchae did this." Xena said disgustedly, turning and heading toward the door to go out in search of the demons that were responsible.

"And they've taken the lyre." Orpheus added, noting that the instrument was not in its usual place.

"Xena?" Gabrielle called. The warrior paused and turned to the bard. "I'm going with you." She insisted.

"No, Gabrielle. Buffy can come with me. I need you and Willow to stay here and protect Orpheus. Without him, we don't stand a chance." Xena explained.

"Get some rest while we're gone." Buffy advised, giving Willow's hand a squeeze.

"Promise you'll be careful..." Willow said, looking concerned.

"Absolutely." Buffy assured her.

When the warrior and slayer had gone, Willow and Gabrielle went out onto the balcony to escape from Joxer and Orpheus' bickering. They leaned against the railing and gazed down at the festival going on in the street below. Hearing a scream, the bard searched the crowd for the source of the cry and saw a young girl being dragged around the corner.

"I'll be right back." Gabrielle said, heading determinedly toward the door.

"Gabrielle?" Joxer called after her.

"Stay here." She ordered as she went out the door.

The bard worked her way through the crowded streets, searching for any sign of the girl or her captors. She walked around for several minutes, but her efforts were in vain. The girl was no where to be found.

As she walked through town, throngs of people danced around her, gyrating to the rhythmic tribal music. Two women took a keen interest in the bard and began dancing in circles around her. Whether it was the music or the women themselves, something was having a profound effect on Gabrielle. She seemed to be falling into a trance of some kind. Soon, she began to sway to the music as the two women danced around her.

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"Ah, the precious golden lyre...isn't it beautiful?" The Bacchae woman said to her companion as the two made their way through the alley.

Two men approached them then. "Need some help, ladies?" The first man asked.

"Yeah, that hunk of gold is too heavy for pretty things like you." His friend added.

"You're cute. Come closer...and I'll let you have it." The Bacchae replied, laying the lyre on a nearby crate.

"That's not all you'll let me have. Come on, beautiful." The first man responded, grabbing the woman by the waist and pulling her to him suggestively. In a moment, the two women had "vamped out", transforming from seemingly normal girls into full-fledged Bacchae.

Their eyes turned from brown to yellow, outlined in red, and their mouths were suddenly sporting some seriously lethal fangs. The other defining feature of the Bacchae women, quite different from your average vampire, was the transformation of their fingernails into very long, very sharp, black claws. Within seconds, the two Bacchae attacked the men, sinking their teeth into their necks and feeding like crazed animals before finally tossing the men aside.

"Hey, girls, sorry to break up the party." Xena called, as she and Buffy approached them from behind. The Bacchae whirled around to face them and the warrior and slayer ran toward them. Xena took to the air and planted a solid kick in the first Bacchae's chest, sending her sailing back at least fifteen feet before she crashed into a wall.

The slayer took on the other Bacchae, landing a roundhouse kick in her face, followed by a series of punches. When Buffy reached out to take hold of her, the Bacchae raised her arms and took flight, flying several feet into the air and landing on a balcony overhead. "Hey? They can _fly_? You never told me they could fly!" The slayer commented, looking up in disbelief at the demon.

"Oh yeah, they fly alright." Xena confirmed, eyeing the first Bacchae, who had recovered from the warrior's kick and was circling in the air above her head.

"_So_ not fair." Buffy replied as the one on the balcony swooped down toward her. When the Bacchae lunged at her, the slayer jumped to the ground, rolling out of her path. As the Bacchae prepared for another pass at her, Buffy kicked a hole in the side of a nearby crate and pulled a chunk of wood from the debris to use as a makeshift stake. When the Bacchae made its next approach, the slayer stood her ground. As the demon took hold of her, Buffy drove the stake deep into the demon's chest.

Meanwhile, the other Bacchae had landed on Xena's back and her mouth was descending toward the warrior's neck. Xena tried for several seconds to break the hold the Bacchae had on her before finally flinging the demon from her back and throwing her aside.

Much to the slayer's surprise, the Bacchae that she had staked seemed unfazed by the chunk of wood sticking out of her chest. As the demon woman again took flight, Buffy turned to Xena for an explanation.

"Where is that lyre?" Xena ground out, looking around. There was no sign of the instrument, though, and the two Bacchae had retreated into the night.

"What just happened here?" Buffy asked.

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean...I staked that thing through the heart and it just looked at me like I was stupid or something and flew off. What's up with _that_?"

"There's only one thing that can kill a Bacchae." Xena explained. "And that's a dryad bone through the heart."

"Again...information I could have used _earlier_." The slayer replied dryly.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Buffy said finally. "So, where can I get some of these bone thingys?"

"I know a place. We can pick some up on our way to the catacombs."

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When Gabrielle didn't return, Willow began to worry. "Hey...you think maybe we should go look for her?" The redhead asked, turning to Joxer.

"You're right! She might need me! Let me just get Orpheus ready." He answered.

A few minutes later, they were weaving their way through the streets in search of the bard, with Orpheus' head mounted on top of a tall pole.

"See anything?" Joxer asked, looking up at Orpheus, who had the best view high above the crowds.

"I don't see anything." Orpheus answered. "Wait! There she is...in the middle of the room with two women."

"Bacchae, just like I thought. Hold that." Joxer said, handing the pole to Willow. Willow sheepishly took it, feeling quite uncomfortable being the keeper of Orpheus' head.

"Don't worry Gabrielle...I'll save you." Joxer called, heading toward the bard who was by this time engaged in an intimate dance with the two Bacchae women. "Unhand her!" He cried, pulling her away from the two women.

"Joxer! What are you doing?!" She asked angrily.

"Bacchae!" He said, pointing to the women.

"But, I would know a Bacchae if I saw one." The bard insisted, looking intently at the two women.

"Come on, Orpheus is waiting." He said, pulling the bard through the crowd toward Willow and Orpheus.

From down the street, Xena spotted Orpheus' head high above the crowd. "There they are." The warrior said, heading toward them as Buffy followed.

"Xena, Buffy, I'm _so_ glad you guys are back." Willow said as they approached.

"Here. I'll take that. Thanks." The warrior said, taking the Orpheus pole from Willow.

"Miss me?" Buffy asked, casually putting an arm around the redhead's shoulders.

Willow nodded, blushing slightly. "So, how'd it go?" The hacker inquired.

"Not great." Buffy said. "Apparently, there are a _few_ differences between Bacchae and vampires. This new kind of slayage is gonna take some getting used to."

"Did you get the lyre?" Orpheus asked.

"No, I found the Bacchae who took it. Don't worry. We'll get it back." Xena said.

"We'll get it back? Wait a minute; let me get this straight. First, we find the lyre. Then we get someone to play it. Ah-- Orpheus sings; the Bacchae sleep. Ah-- We go in, kill Bacchus and free the girls?" Joxer asked as he and Gabrielle came to a stop in front of the group.

"Exactly." Xena replied, clearly surprised at his grasp of the plan.

"That was easy enough." Joxer said.

"Don't be a fool. Bacchus has the lyre safely in his catacombs by now. If you go in there, he'll kill you." Orpheus warned.

"It's a chance I'll have to take." Xena snapped.

"Yeah, it's my strategy from the get-go. Catch 'em off guard...run that 'he'll kill you' part by me again." Joxer whined, stopping in his tracks.

"It's all right, Joxer...you won't be coming." Xena assured him. "Come on, girls."

"Wait a minute! If _they're_ going, I'm going, too! Hey, I assembled this team!" Joxer argued. Xena just stared at him before turning to walk away. "OK, fine. I guess you don't want someone who _plays_ the lyre!" Joxer added. The group stopped then and turned to look at him.

"You?!" Orpheus questioned.

"I took the music lessons, OK?"

"You play the lyre?" Gabrielle asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I play the lyre. Don't advertise it all over town. I got a reputation to maintain." Joxer complained.

"All right. Let's go." Xena said looking him squarely in the eye, before turning and walking away with Buffy and Willow following. Gabrielle started after them, only to be stopped by Joxer.

"Wait a minute!" Joxer cried, grabbing the bard by the shoulders.

"Whoa!" Gabrielle cried.

"Look! On her neck..._blood!_ She's been _bitten_." Joxer whispered, pointing at the warrior.

"So, she had blood on her neck. I mean, she was in a fight. It could be anything...it could be...a scratch. You know..."

"Listen, listen, I have seen every kind of wound encountered by man or beast. And that, my friend, is a bite -- specifically, a Bacchae bite." Joxer insisted.

"Then, why hasn't she turned into one?" Gabrielle asked.

"Because these things take time! Listen, listen...any second now, Xena's gonna be sporting a new set of fangs, _big_ ones. Wait a minute. Now I know why she didn't want me with her. Because she _knows_ I'm the _only one_ who could stop her." He theorized.

"You know, we could settle this right now. I'll just ask her." Gabrielle replied.

"No, don't ask her a question! Are you kidding me? Anything you say is gonna propel her into a Bacchaen frenzy!" He rambled. "Listen, you better give me this. I'll sharpen it into a point." He said, grabbing Gabrielle's staff as he pulled out his knife.

"Don't be ridiculous!" The bard cried, pulling the staff away from him.

"Listen, we gotta act nonchalant! Give it to me! Give me that!" He argued, fighting her for possession of the staff.

"Hurry up! What are you two doing back there?" Xena asked, turning around to look at them.

"Nothing!" Gabrielle replied.

"Just sharpening our weapon." Joxer added. Gabrielle finally managed to jerk the staff away from him. "OK, fine...but when she bites your head off in the middle of the night, don't come running to me." He warned. The bard shook her head in annoyance and walked away, quickly catching up with Xena, Buffy and Willow.

--------------------------------------- Continued in Chapter 2


	2. Roughing It

Author's Note: Thanks to all who have read and reviewed my story "Ages Apart" and are now reading this one. Your reviews have been wonderful. I want to thank everyone who has offered such kind words about the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

The Good, The Bad and The Fangy  
Chapter 2 - Roughing It 

As they walked out of the town to set up camp, Xena led Argo by the reigns. "She's a beautiful horse. What's her name?" Willow asked the warrior.

"Argo. Say hi to Willow, girl." She said, fondly patting the side of the horse's face.

Argo whinnied in response and Willow smiled. "Wow, she's smart. Did you train her?" The redhead asked.

"Yeah, Argo's been with me for a long time. Haven't you, girl?" Xena said, rubbing the horse's nose affectionately. "There should be some apples in that saddlebag over there. Why don't you get one out for her?" Xena suggested.

"Sure." Willow replied. She found the apples and pulled one out, offering it to Argo. The horse looked at it, but wouldn't take it.

"Go on." Xena urged. Having the warrior's blessing then, Argo happily accepted the apple. "You want to ride her?" Xena asked. "I know you've had a long day."

"Oh, no thank you...but Buffy would like to. Wouldn't you, Buffy?" Willow prodded.

"Sure. Hop on." Xena offered.

"That's okay." The slayer declined, shaking her head.

"Come on...I _owe_ you a pony, remember." The redhead grinned. "And I know Argo's a horse, but a pretty great horse, and this is the best I can do at the moment. You didn't get to do anything else that you planned for today, sooo..." Willow coaxed.

"I was only kidding about the pony, Will." Buffy pointed out with an amused smile.

"Humor me?" Willow asked, putting on her most adorable face.

"On one condition...you gotta ride with me." Buffy countered.

"Me? Way up there? Oooh no. I think not." The redhead said, shaking her head.

"I promise it'll be fun." Buffy said. Willow was not convinced. "I won't let you fall. I swear. You can hold onto me the _entire_ time." The slayer offered.

Given the new terms, it suddenly sounded like a lot more fun to the redhead. She tilted her head to the side, as if considering it. _'Don't want to seem too eager.'_ Willow told herself. After a respectable pause, she agreed.

"Yay!" Buffy cheered.

Xena flashed Willow a knowing smile and stopped the horse to let them get on. Buffy climbed up first and offered Willow her hand. With a boost from Xena, the redhead managed to hop on behind the slayer. "Oooh, high. Really high!" She squeaked when she looked down.

"Just try to relax. And hold onto me." Buffy suggested, chuckling a little at her panicking friend. Willow happily complied, scooting in close and wrapping her arms around Buffy's waist. With every nerve ending in her body suddenly registering the contact, the slayer vaguely wondered if this was such a bright idea after all.

Xena and Gabrielle walked alongside, watching them, clearly amused. "Why don't you guys go on ahead?" Xena suggested. "We'll set up camp in that clearing over there." She pointed.

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, sure. We're just going to gather some wood for a fire and then we'll be there." The warrior replied.

"Okay. We'll meet you there then." Buffy said, guiding Argo toward the clearing.

"You really like them, don't you?" Gabrielle asked as they watched Buffy and Willow ride away.

"They're all right, I suppose."

"Come on, Xena. Who do you think you are kidding? You don't let just _anybody_ ride Argo." The bard noted.

"So, what if I like them, what of it?" The warrior replied.

"Oh, nothing...I just don't think I've actually ever known you to _like_ anyone before." Gabrielle teased.

"Sure you have." The warrior insisted.

"No. I can't think of anyone." 

"I like you well enough, don't I?" Xena pointed out.

"Do you?" The bard asked, fishing for a compliment.

"Well, I don't keep you around for your cooking, Gabrielle." The warrior teased, putting her arm around the bard.

"You're letting _them_ ride Argo?" Joxer asked in disbelief as he ran up beside the warrior.

"Yeah, so?" The warrior replied.

"You won't even let me _brush_ her." He remarked.

Gabrielle poked the warrior in the side and flashed her a self-satisfied smile that clearly said 'see, I told you so'.

* * *

Buffy and Willow rode toward the clearing; both were silent at first as they took in the awe-inspiring sight of the lush green hills and untouched countryside. Though it was after dark, the full moon overhead was bright, casting a warm glow on everything that it touched.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Willow commented, snuggling contentedly into the slayer's back.

"Uh huh." Buffy replied, her voice suddenly strained.

"Is something wrong, Buffy?" Willow asked, sensing the change in her friend.

"No. Nothing." She lied, trying to ignore the growing desire she felt when Willow touched her. _'Just think of something else. Something unappealing. Like...like seeing Xander in his underwear. That works. Or Joxer in his underwear. Eeww. Effective, but still eeww. Xander and Joxer in their underwear together.' _With that image, the slayer laughed out loud.

"What's funny?" Willow inquired. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

"What? Oh, nothing. I'm fine. Really." Buffy answered. "You comfy?"

"Wha...? Oh, _sorry_. I'm holding on too tight, aren't I?" The redhead apologized, pulling away, embarrassed as she realized how intimately she'd been holding onto her best friend.

"What? No. That's not what I meant." Buffy assured her, feeling a sudden empty ache at the loss of contact. "I just thought you were enjoying the ride. I mean...you don't seem scared anymore." She explained.

"Oh! Yeah." Willow said, relaxing then. "It's neat. I've never ridden a horse before."

"Do you think you've recovered from the spell? For a while there, you had me worried." Buffy commented.

"All better, I think." Willow assured her. "Kinda wondering how we're gonna get home though."

"I know." The slayer said with a sigh. "Right now, I'm just focusing on this thing with Bacchus. You know...saving the _old_ _world_." Buffy joked. "Then, we can worry about how to get back home. After all...wouldn't want to miss the mayor's Ascension, would we?"

"Yes, actually I would, now that you mention it." Willow chuckled.

"But you know...then there wouldn't be a home to go back to?" Buffy pointed out as she brought Argo to a halt in the clearing.

"True." Willow agreed.

Buffy swung her left leg around in front of her and effortlessly hopped down from the horse before turning and offering Willow a hand. "Speaking of the mayor...I've been wondering about something." The redhead said, accepting the offered hand and climbing down from Argo's back.

"What's that?" The slayer asked, leading Willow onto a small plateau before sitting down and coaxing the redhead down beside her. All thought left the hacker's mind when she looked over at Buffy smiling so adoringly at her, the soft glow of the moonlight framing the slayer's face.

"Earth to Will." Buffy teased. When the redhead still didn't snap out of her daze, Buffy reached out and touched Willow's arm, trying to get her attention. The touch brought the hacker back to her senses.

"Wha...?" Willow asked breathlessly. Startled by the intensity of her feelings for her friend, the redhead pulled back from Buffy's touch.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" The slayer asked, concern etched on her face.

"Uh huh." Willow said, blushing to the extreme. "Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I wasn't...you were." Buffy pointed out.

"What?" The redhead asked, clearly confused.

"You said you were wondering about something...about the mayor." Buffy prompted, chuckling.

"Oh! Right." Willow recalled with a nervous laugh. "It's not important. We can talk about it some other time." She added, avoiding the question she had been planning to ask. Buffy started to argue, but changed her mind when she saw Xena and Gabrielle approaching with Joxer trailing closely behind them.

"Can I help with something?" Willow asked as Gabrielle put some logs into a pile, preparing to light the campfire.

"Xena's going to catch dinner and I'm just getting the fire ready. So, I think it's all taken care of." The bard replied.  
  
"Catch dinner?" Willow questioned. "You mean...like hunting?"

"Uh huh. She'll catch a rabbit or something."

"Let me just say, eeww." Buffy interjected, shuddering at the thought.

"Poor bunny rabbit." Willow pouted.

"We could put up the tent or something." Buffy offered, changing the subject.

"Tent?" Gabrielle questioned.

"You know...the thing you sleep in..." Buffy replied.

"Oh, we don't. We just sleep out under the stars." The bard informed them with an enthusiasm that baffled both slayer and hacker. 

"You sleep on the ground...out in the open?" Willow asked. Gabrielle nodded. "But, what about bugs a-and snakes and...?"

"And wolves? Don't forget the wolves." Buffy added.

"Don't worry. Wolves are afraid of the campfire. They won't bother you." The bard explained.

"Oh." Willow said with a gulp, looking wide-eyed at Buffy.

"Look on the bright side, Will. If we get mauled to death in our sleep, then we don't have to worry about how to get home." The slayer remarked with mock enthusiasm.

* * *

"Are you gonna eat that?" Joxer asked, pointing at Willow's untouched bowl of rabbit stew. "Cause if not, I'll be happy to take care of it for you." Willow passed the bowl to him, grateful not to have to look at it anymore. All she could think about was the poor little bunny that was in there somewhere.

Buffy offered up her bowl too, which he eagerly accepted. The slayer and hacker looked at each other and then at Joxer who was disgustingly slurping the stew. "I think I'm gonna take a walk." Buffy said, getting to her feet. _'Before I throw up.' _She thought. "Wanna join me, Will?"

"I thought you'd never ask." The redhead replied with a relieved chuckle.

* * *

They walked arm in arm to the edge of a small lake not far from the campsite and stood silently looking out over the moonlit water, both lost in thought. Finally, Buffy glanced at Willow and tried to verbalize what was on her mind. "Would you hate me if I said I'm glad that you're here? With me, I mean. Not that I _wanted_ any of this to happen...but since it did and here I am, I'm glad that you're..."

Willow laughed and put a finger to Buffy's lips. "It's okay, Buffy. I understand. I feel the same way." She confided, momentarily getting lost in the enchanting hazel eyes that looked at her with such affection.

"I can't believe...that I almost lost you last night." The slayer said in a near whisper, overwhelmed by all that had happened in just twenty-four hours.

Unable to speak around the lump forming in her throat, Willow reached out to offer a reassuring touch, gently caressing Buffy's cheek before taking her in her arms. Their embrace was urgent, filled first with sadness, then contentment. Relaxing finally in each other's arms, the walls came down.

Buffy sank into the warmth and softness, burying her face at the redhead's neck and inhaling deeply to take in the subtle scent that was uniquely Willow. Instinctively, she clung to the hacker, her hands roaming the redhead's back. A dam broke in the slayer, releasing a wave of tender longing that threatened to drown her. She pulled back slightly, seeking Willow's lips, but stopped herself just short of the point of no return when she came to her senses. "We should probably head back." She blurted, avoiding Willow's questioning gaze as she abruptly pulled away.

They walked the short distance back to the camp in tense silence. Had she looked at Willow, Buffy would have seen the mixture of longing and disappointment clearly written on the redhead's face. Had she looked into Willow's eyes, she would have found the answers to all of the questions that haunted her thoughts. Instead, the slayer hid, wallowing in her doubts.

"We're gonna get some sleep." Xena said, as they approached. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

"You two can share my bedroll." Gabrielle offered. "Xena has kindly agreed to share hers with me."

"Thanks." Buffy replied, looking skeptically at the small bedroll that the bard had pointed to.

Neither slayer nor hacker slept easily that night. When it wasn't the sound of some nearby wild animal keeping them on edge, it was the heightened awareness of the other's body pressed so close. The bedroll, intended for one person, was so small that it was impossible for both of them to sleep on it without practically being on top of each other.

And when sleep should have come in spite of this, each lay awake contemplating her feelings. They had both accepted that it was time for brutal honesty, if not with each other, at least within themselves.

* * *

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Dispelling The Demons

Chapter 3 - Dispelling The Demons

Exhausted and half-starved from skipping dinner the night before, Buffy and Willow sluggishly followed along as the group walked toward the catacombs the next day. Willow gravitated toward Gabrielle, chatting as they walked along, while Buffy chose to keep pace with Xena, a significant distance ahead of the others.

"You look tired." Xena commented.

"Didn't get much sleep last night." Buffy admitted.

"May be none of my business, but I think you should talk to her. Tell her how you feel." The warrior advised.

"_You're_ one to talk." The slayer replied.

"It's not the same."

"It's _exactly_ the same, isn't it? You're in love with Gabrielle, but you're afraid of how she'll react if you tell her, right?" Buffy asked.

"It's not that simple." Xena replied.

"What? What else is stopping you? Wait, let me guess...even if she does feel the same, you don't want to accept it. You think she's better off without you, that being with you just puts her in danger. And you don't want her to get hurt. Does that about cover it?" The slayer asked.

Xena stared at Buffy, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Does it really surprise you _that_ much that I know how you feel?" The slayer asked. "Because it shouldn't. Seems to me like we're both in the same miserable boat." Buffy added.

"I know she loves you." Xena remarked.

"I _know_ she loves me. I'm just not sure if it's a _'you're such a great friend'_ kind of love or an _'I want to rip your clothes off'_ kind of love." Buffy retorted.

"The second one." The warrior replied with a knowing smile.

"Huh?" The slayer asked, clearly not understanding.

"I said, she's _in love_ with you." Xena whispered, staring seriously at Buffy.

"Pfffft." The slayer laughed. "What makes you say that?"

"I see the way she looks at you, the way she acts." Xena explained.

"Like _you_ would know." Buffy said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The warrior asked defensively.

"It _means_...Gabrielle has the _hots_ for you and you can't even see it." The slayer retorted.

"Keep it down, will ya?" Xena urged, looking over her shoulder to make sure the others couldn't hear their conversation. "This isn't about me and Gabrielle." She argued.

"Sure it is. It's about you telling me to take a risk that you're not even willing to take yourself." Buffy noted.

"I don't want her to get hurt." Xena asserted.

"Are you _planning_ to hurt her?" Buffy replied.

"Of course not." Xena replied. "But just being around me puts her in danger because of the life I lead."

"Okay. Are you prepared to send her away and break off the friendship you have?" Buffy questioned.

"No."

"Then what's the difference, friends or lovers, if just being in your life puts her in danger?" The slayer asked pointedly.

Realizing the truth in Buffy's words, Xena didn't answer at first, then opted to enlighten the blonde. "I could say the same thing to you."

Buffy sobered a bit at the comment, but didn't deny the truth in it. "So, now we know. There's nothing else holding us back. At least we've admitted it." The slayer mused. "We're both just big cowards."

"Does that mean you're gonna talk to her?" Xena asked, smiling amusedly.

"Yeah, sure, right after you talk to Gabrielle." Buffy shot back playfully.

* * *

"This is it? When you said 'weapons', I was thinking a blacksmith's shop." Joxer commented as they entered the burial grounds.

"No, for this job, we need something _special_." Xena replied. "Keep quiet, and don't step on any graves."

Walking on top of a nearby grave in spite of Xena's orders, Joxer read the gravestone and asked, "Dryad, Dry-- What's a Dryad?"

"Sworn enemies of Bacchus." Xena called over her shoulder as she looked around. "A Dryad bone through the heart is the only way to kill a Bacchae."

"Do we have to dig them up?" Gabrielle asked.

"Not exactly." Xena commented.

"Well, they're not gonna jump out at us." Joxer said with a laugh. As if on cue, the ground opened up beneath him. Apparently, he had awakened something by walking on the grave and he was being pulled under. As he sank into the ground, he screamed. "Whoa! Whoa! Aaaaaaaaahhhh."

"Joxer!" Gabrielle screamed, seeing that he was in serious trouble.

"Help, Xena! Help me! They're pulling me under! I can't breathe! I can't breathe! Aaaaaaaaaahhh." Joxer begged. Xena and Buffy ran to his aid, grabbing his arms and trying to pull him back out of the ground. "Pull! Pull! Horrible animals! Ooh, and monsters!"

Soon, the warrior and slayer had pulled him to freedom. "Oh, that was close." Joxer said relieved. "He took my boots! They cost me fifty dinars!"

"Great." Gabrielle commented.

"Stupid, good-for-nothing, bag of bone!" Joxer complained as they continued on.

A screeching sound behind them prompted the group to turn around. Dust flew and a flame shot out of the grave Joxer had fallen into. A creature emerged, the skeletal remains of a large winged animal. Two more followed the first one out of the open grave, all three taking flight above the group.

"What is it?!" Gabrielle asked.

"_That's_ a Dryad." Xena answered, unsheathing her sword. The Dryads attacked, swooping down at them.

"Watch it, Joxer!" Gabrielle warned.

"All right, Xena! Do something!" Joxer pleaded.

The group scattered, ducking to the ground to avoid the onslaught. The Dryads regrouped, coming back in for another pass. Xena fought off one, Buffy a second, and the third found another target, the scarecrow-bodied Orpheus who screamed incessantly as the creature tried to lift him from Argo's back and carry him away. Joxer, who was supposed to be protecting Orpheus, stood by screaming in fear like a little girl as Orpheus was attacked.

Having no weapon, Buffy was unable to kill the creature that was terrorizing her and Willow. Seeing that Joxer was not using his sword, she decided to perpetrate a misdemeanor. "Can I borrow this? Thanks." The slayer said running past him, swiftly stealing the sword from his hands. When the Dryad swooped down again, the slayer beheaded it with one clean strike of the sword. It shattered then, its bones falling to the ground.

With one down, Xena turned her attention to the next immediate threat, the one that was attacking Orpheus. It had the scarecrow body in its clutches and was trying to lift Orpheus along with it up into the sky. The warrior quickly drew her chakram and let it fly, beheading the Dryad, which shattered like its counterpart.

"Thanks." Orpheus said.

The third Dryad then retreated. "Go on and run! You coward! Hah-hah!" Joxer taunted as the creature flew away.

"Thanks." The slayer said, handing the sword back to Joxer.

"You're welcome." He replied meekly, suddenly frightened of the tiny blonde that he now knew was as lethal as Xena. _'Who is this girl?'_ He wondered. If there had been the slightest physical resemblance, he would have sworn she was related to the warrior princess.

"Wow! These Dryad bones are really sharp as nails. No wonder they can kill a Bacchae." Joxer commented, picking one up, as Xena and Buffy gathered their weapons. "Hey, are you afraid...of this?" Joxer asked, pointing one of the Dryad bones at Xena's chest, testing his theory that the warrior was a Bacchae.

"Should I be?" Xena asked, glaring down at him menacingly as she leaned into his personal space.

"No." Joxer squeaked, shrinking back from the warrior. Buffy watched the exchange and couldn't help but laugh at the fool.

"It's just that..._Gabrielle _thought that you might be a Bacchae." He lied. The warrior continued to stare him down. "OK, maybe I thought you were one, too. But you had blood on your neck." He quickly added.

"Sorry to disappoint." Xena replied, walking away from him.

"It's understandable. Nothing like stalking a Bacchae to get the blood flowing." Joxer said, following the warrior.

Hearing a growl, Xena looked up. Gabrielle whirled around to face them then. She was transforming into a Bacchae right in front of their eyes. Her normally soft green eyes were now a disturbing yellow and she bared her teeth at them, showing her newly developed fangs.

"Gabrielle." Xena said, overwhelmed.

"See? What did I tell you?" Joxer said. Xena shoved him aside.

"Gabrielle...it's all right. I can help you." Xena said softly, trying to calm the bard, but Gabrielle was no longer really there. She had been replaced by the demon that now controlled her.

The demon in Gabrielle took hold of Willow and sank her teeth into the sensitive flesh of the hacker's neck. Both Buffy and Xena dove toward them, but it was too late. Gabrielle took flight. The warrior and slayer dropped to their knees out of her path. When they rose again to go to Willow, the redhead vamped out and flew away.

"Where are they going?" Joxer asked.

"The catacombs. Get Orpheus!" Xena demanded as she and Buffy took off after them.

"We can still save them, Buffy." Xena Assured her. "We can't let them drink Bacchus' blood. If they do, we've lost them. As long as they don't drink, they will be themselves again when we kill Bacchus." The warrior explained.

Buffy didn't respond. She had retreated within herself, haunted by her thoughts. Despite all that she had suffered in her years as the slayer, nothing had prepared her for this.

Over the previous days, Buffy had just started to come to terms with her feelings for her friend. She was in love with Willow. She had finally admitted it to herself as she lay awake the night before. The feelings were much more than a crush and much more than a phase. What scared the slayer most of all...she had never felt this way before. She connected with Willow on a level that she hadn't known with anyone else. To call them best friends wouldn't begin to describe the mutual understanding they shared - with just one look, seeing into each other's souls.

So, the slayer remained silent - lost in a swirl of emotions that always seemed to boil down to one thing, regret. In a cruel twist of fate, two thousand years in the past, thousands of miles from their home on the hellmouth, Willow had been bitten. A demon now lived inside of her, where the sweet, young hacker had once been. If she drank the blood of Bacchus, Willow would be lost forever, Buffy knew. And she would never have the chance to tell her how she feels.

* * *

The warrior, slayer and Joxer walked in relative silence deeper into the catacombs, in search of Bacchus and the hacker and bard. Joxer carried Orpheus' head, again in the sack on his back. The group began to hear muffled noises.

"Shh! You hear that? Someone's trapped! And it sounds like it's coming from right behind us." Joxer said, turning around to look. Xena pulled the sack from his back and opened it.

"Get me out of here! Ah! Not so rough, all right?!" Orpheus cried as Xena pulled him out of the sack.

"Yes?" She asked.

"You're wasting time. We should be in Bacchus' lair by now." Orpheus demanded.

"We're looking for Gabrielle and Willow. They turned into Bacchae." Joxer said.

"There's no time for that. We have to kill Bacchus before midnight. Forget the girls." Orpheus ordered.

"I can't do that." Xena said. The slayer looked up too then. Knowing that Xena would never give up on Gabrielle, she didn't feel the need to say anything. She simply glared at him before turning to walk on.

"I knew I should never have trusted you." Orpheus said to Xena. "Once again, you're selfish desires come first. Don't you understand? Bacchus is using Gabrielle against us. If you try to save her, you'll fall right into his trap."

"Save your breath." Xena said, thrusting Orpheus' head at Joxer. "I'm going after them." She declared, turning to catch up with Buffy, who had already stalked away.

"Then Bacchus has won already!" Orpheus called after them.

"Um, are you sure you know where we're going?" Joxer asked tentatively following the warrior.

"It's all right, Joxer, just follow me." Xena said, annoyed.

"That's right, Joxer, follow Xena blindly to your death." Orpheus warned.

"Don't worry. We know where we're going. What do you mean, 'death'?" Joxer asked. Paling at the thought of danger, Joxer stopped in his tracks looking to Orpheus for his reply.

"It's only a matter of time before Gabrielle bites Xena and makes her a Bacchae too. Xena's feelings have blinded her to the mission. You have to take control. The world is counting on you, Joxer." Orpheus advised.

"Joxer...Joxer!" Xena called, seeing that he was lagging far behind them.

"OK, OK. If Gabrielle or Willow come around again...I'll know what to do." Joxer said to Orpheus, brandishing a Dryad bone, before scurrying to catch up with the warrior and slayer.

"Good." Orpheus replied.

"Keep your eyes open; she's here somewhere." Xena said, sensing Gabrielle's presence, as they walked deeper into the caves.

"Well, don't worry. I'm ready for anything." Joxer proclaimed. "Aaahhhhh. Bat." He screamed as a bat flew past his face. Xena looked back at him, then continued on. When the warrior and slayer were walking away, Gabrielle swooped down from the ceiling, landing on Joxer's back. "Aaaahhh! Get off of me! Get off of me!" He screamed frantically.

Gabrielle held on as Joxer flailed around trying to shake her. She was about to sink her teeth into his neck when Xena managed to pull her off of his back. Gabrielle landed several feet away, disoriented, baring her teeth at them.

"OH, YOU LITTLE BACCHAE!" Joxer screamed, moving toward her as he brandished a Dryad bone, as if he planned to kill her.

"Joxer, don't!" Xena cried, pushing him back away from the bard. But it was too late. He had spooked her and she took flight, seeking refuge in the shadows. "Gabrielle." Xena called, hoping to coax her out into the open again. The bard swooped down upon them again. "Gabrielle!" Xena called as she flew toward them again.

"Duck!" Joxer warned as the bard flew straight at them. Diving to the ground, they managed to elude her. However, when they looked up again, she was gone. There was no sign of Willow as they worked their way through the caverns and though no one commented about the hacker's absence, both Buffy and Xena were concerned about where she might be.

* * *

"Remember, your job is to find the lyre and play it as soon as you can. That should give us time to reach Bacchus." Xena said as they moved toward Bacchus' lair.

"Right." Joxer replied.

"Xena! I...owe you an apology. I guess I was just looking for someone to blame." Orpheus admitted.

"Bacchus must've caused you a lot of pain." The warrior said, drawing her sword from its sheath. "Now, maybe we can bring you some peace." She added, walking deeper into the catacombs.

* * *

"Now, friend of Xena, go ahead, my child. Drink and become immortal. Become one with me." Bacchus bellowed, handing a goblet of his blood to Gabrielle.

The bard accepted the goblet, wrapping her long black claws around it. Entranced by the god, she lifted the drink to her lips. Just before she was able to drink, Xena's chakram whizzed into the room in front of the bard, knocking the goblet from her hands.

"She's not interested, Bacchus!" Xena ground out, catching the chakram as it returned to her where she stood near the entrance to the room.

"Xena! So glad you could join us after all." Bacchus replied.

"Joxer, quick, on Bacchus' throne, get the lyre. Hurry." Xena ordered.

"You got it." Joxer replied, scurrying toward the ledge.

"Get them!" Bacchus exclaimed, ordering the Bacchae to attack.

The slayer scanned the room for a sign of Willow and her eyes came to rest on the Bacchae standing next to Gabrielle at the front of the room near the large brass punch bowl that was filled with Bacchus' blood. Buffy felt the ache in her chest radiate throughout her body as she tried to reconcile the image of this demon mingled with the familiar features of the innocent redhead that she knew and loved. 

"Willow!" The slayer charged toward her.

At Bacchus' order, a dozen or more Bacchae had moved to attack the slayer and warrior princess. Xena fought them off, kicking and punching, before finally dusting one or two with a Dryad bone through their hearts. The slayer never faltered in her movement toward the redhead at the front of the room, making quick work of slaying the Bacchae she encountered along the way.

As Joxer stood on a ledge and pulled the lyre from Bacchus' throne, a Bacchae flew up to the ledge, landing next to him, then latching onto his back.

"Let go of me, you little monster!" Joxer screamed. "Orpheus, Orpheus! Wake up! Come on! The lyre, yes, the lyre! Orpheus, what should I play?!"

"Anything! Just play!" Orpheus answered.

"Drink! I command you. Drink, and become one of us." Bacchus told Gabrielle, after again handing her a goblet filled with his blood.

"Get off of me!" Joxer cried, trying to shake the Bacchae who now had a firm hold on him.

A Bacchae had landed on Xena's back and another two were threatening her from the front. For the moment, she was unable to break free, unable to run to the bard as she saw her lift the deadly drink to her lips. "Gabrielle! No!" Xena pleaded. "Joxer! Play the lyre!" She ordered, knowing it was the bard's only hope.

At the warrior's order, Joxer strummed the stringed instrument and Orpheus began to sing. "La-la-la-la. La-la-la-la. La-la-la-la. La-la-la-la." Gabrielle cringed at the sound, dropping the goblet of blood to the floor. Bacchae all around the room collapsed, wincing in pain with their hands over their ears. Seeing this, Bacchus was enraged. He flew up to the ledge, landing next to Joxer, towering over him.

"Any requests?" Joxer squeaked out, looking up at the massive crimson-skinned god of wine. Bacchus batted him aside with ease and Joxer landed in a heap against the wall, the lyre falling from his hands. Xena finally freed herself from the Bacchae that were holding her and ran toward the ledge where Bacchus was standing.

"Awake, my Bacchae! It is time to feed! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Bacchus commanded as Xena climbed the wall with ease and hopped onto the ledge, facing off with the demonic god. "Welcome back, Xena." Bacchus greeted her, taking a swing at the warrior. Xena ducked his blow and he struck again. The warrior sidestepped this attack too and countered with a punch of her own.

When he lunged toward her again, she thrust the Dryad bone deep into his chest. Bacchus screamed and shuddered as he realized what had happened and Xena struck again, kicking the god with such force that he fell from the ledge and landed on the stone floor below. Several Bacchae gathered around him on the floor looking down at him uncertainly.

Buffy finally reached Willow's side then, taking the redhead by the shoulders. Willow looked up at the slayer, yellow eyes meeting hazel with a questioning stare. There could be no greater enemies than a Bacchae or vampire and a Vampire Slayer. Yet these two remained still, neither one threatening, neither one breaking away.

In Willow's eyes, Buffy could see both a foreign presence and something very familiar, a part of her best friend still evident. Bacchae Willow simply stood there conflicted, the instinct to feed at war with the urge to protect this person in front of her.

"No, Xena..." Bacchus said as he rose from the floor, still very much alive. "Don't you know? Only a Bacchae can kill me. And you're not one, yet. Bite her!" He commanded. Gabrielle took to the air, flying up to the ledge where Xena still stood. The bard circled the warrior. Xena reflexively lifted the Dryad bone in her hands as if to attack, but quickly dropped the weapon to the ground, unable to even consider harming the one she loved, no matter what the cost. "And now, make her one of us." Bacchus ordered.

Xena stood passively as Gabrielle moved behind her, preparing to turn the warrior. "Gabrielle...do it." Xena said, giving in.

Gabrielle brushed Xena's long dark hair aside to expose the creamy flesh of her neck, but froze when Bacchus' scream rang out.

"No, it can't be." The god cried, feeling genuine pain this time from the Dryad bone that was just thrust into his heart. "Who are you?" He asked, looking down at the one who had delivered the lethal blow.

"Oh, I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." He looked questioningly at the blonde who held the hand of a young red-haired Bacchae. "What, never heard of me?" The slayer quipped as the god fell backward and then exploded into dust.

* * *

Xena stood on the ledge watching as the bard reverted to her old self. Down below, Buffy similarly waited as the demon presence left Willow's body.

"What happened? I feel so strange." Several of the girls commented as they awoke on the floor of the catacombs. At Bacchus' death, the remaining Bacchae initiates had transformed, turning back into their human selves.

When Gabrielle was herself again, Xena pulled her into a crushing embrace. Meanwhile, tears of relief slid freely down Buffy's face as she looked into Willow's shy green eyes. Enfolding the redhead in a tender embrace, Buffy mumbled a string of incoherent phrases punctuated by soft kisses she rained on Willow's hair and face.

Calming finally, Buffy glanced up at the ledge just in time to see Gabrielle pulling the warrior's face down toward her own and planting a kiss on Xena's lips. Buffy smiled and turned Willow around in her arms so that she too could see the warrior and bard's special reunion.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." Joxer commented, as he got up from the floor. His loud intrusion seemed to break the spell and both couples stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the idiot.

"Oh." Joxer added with a start when he saw Orpheus' body materialize, reuniting with his head. With Bacchus' death, Orpheus had been freed of the curse that the demon god had placed on him. "You're a lot taller than I thought you'd be." Joxer commented before Orpheus vanished into thin air. "Orpheus? Hmm."

"Goodbye, Xena...and thank you." Orpheus said, his voice floating through the catacombs as he departed.

* * *

"Guys! Wait up! Hey...so what's next?" Joxer asked, running up to Xena and Gabrielle who were happily walking away from the town.

"Next, huh?" Gabrielle replied, her mind searching for a way that she could get Joxer to quit tagging along with them.

"Yeah." He said.

"Ah, we...we fight Medusa, right?" Gabrielle lied, hoping to tap into Joxer's cowardice and scare him away.

"Right." Xena agreed, going along with the bard's plan.

"Well, you know, the, the one with snakes all over her head." Gabrielle explained.

"Right." The warrior agreed again.

"And, and...one look, and the mightiest of men is turned into stone." Gabrielle added, putting the finishing touches on the story to make Joxer turn tail and run.

"Right." Xena said, continuing to back up the bard's story.

"Stone, huh?" Joxer said meekly. "Oh, hey, listen, ah, um...I just remembered...it's my mom's birthday. And she's getting, you know, the... I, I better get back home, but, um...I'll catch up with you guys a little later." He lied, trying to worm his way out of another life and death battle.

"No problem." Gabrielle assured him, as he turned to leave. Xena simply smiled, amused at his retreat.

Buffy and Willow walking arm in arm next to Xena and Gabrielle laughed at Joxer's departure before resuming their exchange of silent smoldering looks.

"You know...you almost died trying to save me." Gabrielle said, looking up affectionately into Xena's brilliant blue eyes. Leaning toward the warrior as if she might be considering another kiss, the bard added, "I _really_ want to do something to thank you."

Her approach was interrupted by Joxer, who called loudly over his shoulder with a wave, "Farewell, my warrior chums!"

"You just did." Xena replied with a flirtatious smile, clearly grateful to the bard for telling the tale that chased Joxer away.

* * *

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. Questions & Answers

Author's Note: Please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the story. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or comments.

* * *

Chapter 4 - Questions & Answers  
  
With Joxer gone and all right with the world for the moment, they walked happily away from the town and set up camp for the night. It was past midnight when they were finally settled around the campfire with a basic dinner consisting of bread and cheese. They were all famished and eagerly ate the minimal fare.  
  
Xena leaned back against a nearby rock to relax. "Well, I guess we'll need to get into town tomorrow for supplies." The warrior noted, looking down at the few crumbs that remained when they had finished eating.  
  
"This was much better than bunny stew." Willow giggled.  
  
"Way better." Buffy said, laughing along with the redhead.  
  
"I didn't get to say it before, with everything that's been going on..." Xena said. "But I want to thank you for helping us get back home. I know your being here wasn't part of the plan, but I've got some ideas about how to fix that. We can talk about it tomorrow, after we get some sleep. I just wanted to say that I appreciate all you've done...including your help today with Bacchus, Buffy." The warrior concluded.  
  
"Yes, thank you." Gabrielle said softly, a little teary-eyed. "You've been such good friends to us. And...Willow...I'm sorry for today, for biting you." She added, more than a little guilt-ridden ever since they told her what she had done.  
  
"It's okay. I know it wasn't you. And I'm all better now. See." Willow assured her, smiling a sweet smile.  
  
"I'm just glad that it's over and it all turned out okay." Buffy interjected, looking adoringly at Willow. "You don't have anything strenuous planned for tomorrow, do you?" She questioned, turning to Xena.  
  
"Not a thing." Xena confirmed.  
  
"Good! Cause I don't think I can take any more drama right now." Buffy admitted.  
  
"Yeah." Willow agreed with a yawn. "A day off would be nice."  
  
Even Xena laughed at that. Thoroughly exhausted, they soon agreed that it was time to get some sleep, said their goodnights, and settled into their bedrolls much like the night before. This night, however, with the apocalypse averted and peaceful thoughts in their heads, sleep came more easily.

* * *

"Gabrielle?" Xena whispered, leaning over the bard.  
  
"Uhn." The bard groaned.  
  
"Gabrielle, time to get up." The warrior said playfully.  
  
"What is it, Xena?"  
  
"Come on." The warrior said, pulling the bard to her feet. "Shhh." She hushed Gabrielle as they walked past the still sleeping Buffy and Willow. Xena lead the bard down to the lakeshore.  
  
"What are we doing?" Gabrielle asked.  
  
"Watching the sunrise." The warrior said.  
  
"Since when are you interested in the sunrise, Xena?" The bard chuckled.  
  
"Since now." She grinned, taking a seat on the grass a few feet from the water's edge.  
  
Gabrielle sat down next to the warrior and they looked out at the sky. "Xena?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Do you want to kiss me?" The bard asked, leaning toward the warrior.  
  
"Gabrielle..." Xena warned.  
  
"You kissed me last night in the catacombs." The bard asserted.  
  
"You kissed me." Xena corrected.  
  
"Okay, but you kissed me back."  
  
"I'm sorry for that. I was just glad that you were safe. Now can we just drop it?" The warrior pleaded.  
  
"No. I want you to kiss me again."  
  
"In order to kiss you again, I would have had to kiss you the first time, which I didn't. And I don't plan to." Xena firmly stated. "I'm going for a swim." She added, rising to her feet and stripping off her clothes before wading out into the lake.  
  
Anyone else might have been offended, might have backed away, but Gabrielle knew the warrior. She knew how stubborn Xena could be, and she knew that she could be just as stubborn. 'I'm not going to make this easy for her by just walking away. That's exactly what she's hoping I'll do.'  
  
With that, Gabrielle stood and began to slowly take off her clothes, walking to a nearby tree to hang the outfit. "What are you doing?" Xena asked, irritated as she watched the bard prance around the shoreline in her birthday suit.  
  
"I'm coming for a swim." She replied innocently. The warrior was not fooled. She knew that Gabrielle had some hidden agenda, and though she knew not what it was, Xena strongly suspected that it had something to do with driving her insane. When the bard waded into the water toward her, the warrior swam out toward the other side of the lake, pretending to find something of interest there so that she could put some distance between herself and the exasperating, beautiful, naked bard.  
  
She was lost in thought when a distinctive cry for help brought the warrior back to reality. Turning around, she saw the bard near the middle of the lake. Gabrielle was calling her name in panic as she flailed about, bobbing up and then sinking back below the surface. Xena frantically swam to Gabrielle, pulled her back above the surface and helped the choking bard to the shore. She gently laid the strawberry blonde on the ground at the water's edge, still cradling her in her arms.  
  
She looked down at the bard lovingly to see if she was all right and was met with an unmistakable grin. "I knew you'd save me." The bard said with seductive sweetness.  
  
"You tricked me!" Xena cried in disbelief, pulling away from the bard and wading back out into the water. Gabrielle was right behind her, unwilling to let her get away this time.  
  
"I'm sorry that I tricked you." She said, grabbing the warrior's arm. "Look at me. I'm tired of playing games, Xena." The bard added angrily.  
  
"You? You're tired of playing games? That's all you've been doing for days." The warrior retorted.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"This all started the night you got drunk. I don't know what you're playing at, Gabrielle, but I want no part of it." Xena declared, holding the bard by the shoulders.  
  
"I've been trying to get you to come to your senses." The bard replied angrily. "I'm not playing at anything...I love you, Xena." Gabrielle added, tears of hurt and frustration suddenly forming.  
  
It was all too much for the warrior to take. She'd kept her feelings for the bard so carefully controlled for so many months, finding it harder with each passing day. The soft 'I love you' and the hurt in Gabrielle's eyes pushed her over the edge. Xena took her in her arms and held her. The bard wrapped her arms around the warrior, holding her urgently, and placed a soft kiss at the base of her throat. Xena tensed at the contact, but didn't pull away.  
  
Gabrielle took advantage of the opportunity, running her hands over the warrior's back, kissing first her shoulder and then her neck. All self-control gone, Xena reached up, taking the bard's face in her hands and leaned down to bring their lips together. Tenderly, she kissed the bard, pouring all of her love into it; silently telling Gabrielle what was in her heart.  
  
Gabrielle clung to Xena, deepening the kiss. They stood there for countless minutes, waist-deep in the lake, bodies urgently pressed together, kissing like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

With the sun in her face, Willow woke shortly after daybreak. This morning she was surprised to find Buffy curled up at her side with one leg and one arm pinning her down. Willow very much liked the feeling and reasoned that she wouldn't have to be embarrassed if Buffy woke up because, for once, she wasn't responsible for the illicit cuddles. So the redhead lay there looking at her sleeping friend, thinking all sorts of things she knew she shouldn't be thinking (with very little remorse), until the sun finally fell on the blonde's face, waking her up.  
  
Opening her eyes, Buffy found Willow looking at her with an unquestionably mischievous grin on her face. "What?" Buffy questioned as she sat up, wondering what was on the redhead's mind that could explain the look on her face.  
  
"What, what?" Willow replied, wiping away the grin and trying to forget her pleasant daydreams about the blonde.  
  
"You've got a look." Buffy said, smiling at the hacker.  
  
"Look. What look?" The redhead replied innocently. But she was a poor actress, especially with Buffy who could read her like a book.  
  
"The look you get when you're up to something." Buffy pressed. "And now you're blushing." The slayer teased.  
  
"Nope. I'm not up to anything." Willow replied. "Hey, where are Xena and Gabrielle?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.  
  
"Fine, don't tell me." Buffy said with a chuckle. "But you know you're not supposed to keep secrets from your best friend...unless of course it's a surprise for me. Is it a surprise for me?" She asked hopefully.  
  
'Oh, I'm sure you'd be surprised.' Willow thought. "Shouldn't we go look for them. You know, make sure they're all right?" The hacker suggested.  
  
"Okay. I give." Buffy said, climbing to her feet. "Let's go find them."  
  
The slayer and hacker saw no sign of their friends near the campsite. They walked toward the lake, with Buffy teasing Willow along the way. "What were you thinking about, Willow? Something that was blush-worthy." She noted, pondering the possibilities. Willow giggled nervously, but didn't answer. "You can tell me." Buffy prodded. "You wanna tell me, don't you?" She continued.  
  
"Woah. Oh no. Oh no!" The redhead squeaked, stopping in her tracks on the lakeshore.  
  
"What --" Buffy stopped mid-sentence as her eyes followed Willow's to the sight that had turned her friend's face pure crimson. "Oops." Buffy chuckled. "Not again! De javu, only...with more oops this time."  
  
Willow snapped her eyes shut after being frozen in place for a good ten seconds, staring wide-eyed at the warrior and bard, who were wrapped in each other's arms kissing passionately, completely naked. "Oh, Buffy, I'm blind. I'm blind!" The redhead said frantically, on the verge of hyperventilating.  
  
"You're not blind, Will." Buffy laughed, turning the redhead toward her. "You're eyes are closed."  
  
Hearing a commotion on the beach, Xena broke off the kiss and pulled away from the bard. Gabrielle wasn't even aware that they had company at first. She stared at the warrior, looking positively in shock after the kiss they had shared.  
  
"Gabrielle and I were just taking a swim." The warrior called by way of explanation, unsure of what they had or hadn't seen. "Why don't you join us? The water's great."  
  
"Oh no. Oh no!" Willow started again, with renewed vigor, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Realizing then that they had been seen, Gabrielle shrank down into the water as if to hide, turning her back to the beach.  
  
Buffy couldn't help but laugh at Xena's offer to join them and the whole new panic it had created in the shy redhead. "Thanks. We'll be right in." Buffy called to the warrior, kicking off her shoes as she pulled her shirt over her head.  
  
"Buffy! We, w-e can't! You can't...you can't be...serious." Willow said, staring wide-eyed at the blonde who was by then slipping off her leather pants.  
  
"You know what they say, 'When in Rome...'. " Buffy chuckled.  
  
"But...this is Greece." Willow pointed out.  
  
"Come on." Buffy urged, tugging the redhead toward the water's edge.  
  
"But...but, but."  
  
"This is what they do here." Buffy declared. "Besides, I could use a bath. You're not going to make me go in alone are you?"  
  
"But I can't...really I can't."  
  
"Sure you can. Come on, take off your clothes and let's go." Buffy urged.  
  
Willow was speechless then. She turned away from Buffy, who was standing not two feet in front of her wearing only her panties and bra.  
  
"Everything all right up there?" Xena called.  
  
Willow made a whimpering noise and started to flee toward the campsite. "Everything's fine." Buffy answered, sneaking up behind the hacker and sweeping her up in her arms.  
  
"Buffy! W-what are you doing?" Willow shrieked. Parts of this whole experience were very familiar to the redhead...things that she might have imagined in some of her more vivid daydreams. But the naked warrior and bard were not part of the plan.  
  
"If you won't take your clothes off...you'll just have to go in like this." Buffy decided, carrying the hacker toward the lake.  
  
"You wouldn't!" Willow exclaimed.  
  
"Yes. I would." Buffy nodded as she waded out into the water still holding a fully clothed Willow in her arms.  
  
"You can't!" Willow declared.  
  
"Oh, but I can." Buffy chuckled, dropping the redhead into the lake. The hacker sputtered in surprise as she hit the water and went under before finding her footing and standing up. Buffy swam a circle around her, smiling, obviously pleased with herself.  
  
"I can't believe you did it." Willow said, staring at her scantily clad friend.  
  
"Told you I would." Buffy smirked.  
  
"You're gonna pay for that, missy." Willow informed the slayer, swimming out toward her.  
  
"Oooh, I'm scared." Buffy mocked, laughing all the while. The redhead took aim sending a splash wave right at the blonde, who found herself with a mouthful of water. A fierce water fight ensued then and continued until the slayer surrendered.  
  
"I give. You win." Buffy said, completely drenched and laughing. Willow paused as if to stop. Buffy let her guard down and the redhead, unable to resist, soaked her one last time.  
  
"I can't believe you'd shoot a girl after she surrendered." The slayer said accusingly as she grabbed the hacker by the arms to preempt any further attacks.  
  
"I can't believe you would throw me in the lake with all my clothes on." Willow countered with an impish grin.  
  
"Truce?" Buffy offered with a sly smile, unaware that she was pulling the redhead closer.  
  
"I don't know. I'm not sure I can trust you." The hacker teased, suddenly hyper-aware of being held against Buffy's near-naked body.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt," Xena said with an amused smile, "but Gabrielle and I are going into town to get some supplies. You're welcome to join us...unless you'd rather have some time alone."  
  
"Oh..." Buffy replied, letting go of Willow and looking up at the now dressed warrior standing on the shore.  
  
"I'm kinda soaked." Willow said, wondering how she could go to town looking like this.  
  
"You'll dry on the way." Xena said smiling.  
  
"Oh, okay." The redhead agreed.  
  
"So...I should probably get dressed then." Buffy said, feeling self-conscious now being the only one without clothes on.

* * *

Meanwhile back in Sunnydale...  
  
"Hey, G-man." Xander said by way of greeting as he entered the library early Thursday morning. "Have you seen the Buffster? Or Willow?"  
  
"I was going to ask you the very same thing." Giles replied. "The last time I heard from them was Tuesday morning. Willow called to say that she and Buffy were taking...a day off. After everything that happened with the mayor on Monday, I think they were in need of some rest. I was hoping you had heard from them."  
  
"No. I tried to call them both last night, but there was no answer at either of their houses." Xander answered.  
  
"I've been trying to reach them too. It seems that Buffy's mom is out of town at a conference this week."  
  
"That explains the no answer then." Xander remarked.  
  
"I'm beginning to worry. Buffy is usually very reliable, checking in almost every day." Giles noted.  
  
"Do you think something happened to them?" Xander asked.  
  
"I certainly hope not." Giles answered, pacing restlessly. "Yesterday I thought perhaps they just took another day to rest. Though it isn't really like Willow to miss school, is it?" He reasoned. "If they don't check in by this afternoon, I'm going to go to their houses and look for any clues as to their whereabouts."  
  
"Planning something a little break and enter-ish?" Xander inquired.  
  
"Well...perhaps...something like that." Giles conceded.  
  
"Count me in." Xander said. "I'll meet you here after class."  
  
"All right, then." The watcher agreed.

* * *

By the time the group broke camp and made it to town, the sun was high in the midday sky and Willow had mostly dried out. Xena suggested they stop at the local inn for something to eat and everyone eagerly agreed. Xena ordered stew and ale for everyone and they sat down at a table near the center of the room.  
  
When they had finished eating, Gabrielle took the mugs to the bar at the front to get another round of ale for everyone. Xena questioned the wisdom of the second round of drinks as she raised an eyebrow at Willow who was acting rather giddy after her first mug.  
  
While Gabrielle was at the bar getting the drinks, a man approached their table. Judging by his outfit, leather and armor, they reasoned that he was a warrior. Judging by his smell, he hadn't bathed in a very long time. He was clearly drunk and not too bright. Foolishly, he laid one hand on the table in front of Xena and the other on her shoulder, leaning down over her. "Can I buy you a drink?" He asked.  
  
"No thanks." Xena replied, roughly removing his hand from her shoulder. Buffy sensed a scuffle coming on and couldn't resist smirking at the guy who was stupid enough to challenge the warrior. Willow just sat wide-eyed in fear of what was to come.  
  
He didn't take the hint. "Come on, sweet thing, one drink won't kill ya." He said, pushing Xena's dark hair back away from her neck.  
  
"No, but it might kill you." The warrior replied, grabbing him by the arm and twisting it around behind his back until he actually whimpered. "When a lady says no, you better learn to listen." She added, walking him to the door and throwing him out into the street.  
  
Xena returned to the table with a round of applause from Buffy and Willow, as well as Gabrielle who had caught the scene on her way back from the bar. A half-hour later, after listening to several of the bard's stories about Xena, they finally left the inn.  
  
"I'm going to the stables to see about getting new shoes for Argo." Xena said.  
  
"Oh, can I come and see the horses?" Willow asked excitedly.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"We need to pick up supplies, so I'm going shopping." Gabrielle said.  
  
"Shopping? Sounds like fun." Buffy said hopefully.  
  
"You can join me if you'd like." Gabrielle offered. The slayer nodded eagerly.  
  
"All right. Have fun. We'll meet you in the marketplace when we're done." Xena said.  
  
Xena and Willow walked toward the stables at the edge of town. Willow was a bit unsteady after two mugs of ale and tripped on a rock in the road, almost crashing to the ground before the warrior caught her. "Thanks." The redhead said with a goofy little smile as Xena helped her regain her balance.  
  
"Don't mention it. Are you all right?" The warrior asked, concerned at the hacker's apparent intoxication.  
  
"Oh yeah. I feel great." Willow giggled.  
  
"That's what I'm worried about." Xena replied with a lopsided grin. "Maybe we shouldn't have had that ale with lunch."  
  
"I don't usually drink. But that was good ale." Willow proclaimed.  
  
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." The warrior replied smiling down at the redhead. "I'm sorry if Gabrielle and I...made you uncomfortable this morning." She added.  
  
"I was just...a little surprised. I mean, its not every day that something like that happens, well not to me anyway...although that does make twice since I met you." She babbled. "I don't make it a habit of walking in on people when they're naked, believe me...I'm just sorry for interrupting...whatever it was we interrupted. But I'm really happy for you and Gabrielle."  
  
Xena chuckled affectionately at the redhead's babbling. "I was surprised at how you ended up in the lake."  
  
"I know! I couldn't believe Buffy did it." Willow replied, a dreamy smile crossing her face as she thought about her friend.  
  
"You took it pretty well." Xena noted. "I thought you'd be mad."  
  
"It's kinda hard to be mad at Buffy." Willow admitted. "Besides, I had fun, with the water fight and all. I got her good." The hacker giggled.  
  
"Yeah, you did." The warrior confirmed.  
  
When they reached the stables, Xena went to talk to the stable hand while Willow walked around petting the horses. "Are you ready to go?" The warrior asked when her business was done.  
  
"Uh huh." Willow said, but didn't turn around. She continued petting one of the horses and talking softly to it.  
  
"You like this one?" Xena asked, standing next to the redhead.  
  
Willow nodded. "We don't really have horses in Sunnydale. They're so beautiful. Bye horsie." She added before turning toward the door.

* * *

Gabrielle and Buffy wandered through the marketplace. Buffy watched the bard haggle for everything they bought. "Wow, I'm impressed. You know how to get a good deal."  
  
"I try to make the most of every dinar." Gabrielle replied. "So, what do you think? We've got all of the supplies, so what do you want to look at?"  
  
"I don't know. Why don't you show me what kind of clothes they have here?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
They walked around to several booths looking at a wide array of scarves, skirts, and sleeping shifts. "I'm sorry that Will and I kinda interrupted you guys this morning." Buffy commented. "We had no idea."  
  
Gabrielle blushed. "It's okay. We didn't exactly plan it. If you'd come a minute earlier...we were arguing then."  
  
"Well, then, you must've made up in record time cause you seemed pretty friendly when we got there." Buffy noted with a suggestive smile.  
  
"It was...amazing. I was so overwhelmed...I didn't even hear you walk up." The bard said nervously. "But I think Xena is avoiding me now."  
  
"Don't give up on her." Buffy advised. "She'll come around. Speaking of which...here they come." She added, seeing Xena and Willow crossing the street to where they were standing.  
  
"I got to see the horsies!" Willow said with a slight slur, as she walked up to Buffy.  
  
"That's great...did you guys happen to stop by the tavern on the way?" She chuckled, looking up at Xena.  
  
"Nope, but that's a good idea." Willow interjected. "I am a little thirsty."  
  
"I think you've had enough." Buffy laughed.  
  
"Maybe." Willow conceded, smiling back at her.  
  
"Did you get the supplies?" Xena asked.  
  
"Yeah. We got everything we need." Gabrielle said quietly.  
  
"Good. I've got an idea for a way that we might get you two back home. We should get going while there's still daylight left." The warrior said.  
  
"Where are we headed?" Buffy asked.  
  
"To see an old friend of mine. Ares." Xena replied, not sounding too happy about it.  
  
"You can't be serious, Xena." Gabrielle interjected.  
  
"I am."  
  
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" The bard asked.  
  
"Ares has the power to send them back." Xena said simply.  
  
"What makes you think he'll help us?" Gabrielle argued.  
  
"I don't know that he will, but I have to try." The warrior answered.

* * *

"Did you hear from them?" Xander asked as soon as he entered the library after his last class.  
  
"No. No, nothing." Giles answered.  
  
"On to Plan B then. So, what is Plan B again?"  
  
"When last I heard from them, they were at Willow's house. So, we'll go there and look for any clues to their whereabouts." The watcher replied.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the Rosenberg house. As they approached the door, Xander rang the doorbell. When there was no answer, he tested the doorknob. "It's locked." He confirmed.  
  
The watcher pulled a small pouch out of his pocket and opened it, pulling out the necessary lock-pick tools. Xander watched as Giles worked the picks in the lock and opened the door in less than a minute.  
  
"Way to go, Giles!" Xander commented as they entered the front door.  
  
As he stepped inside, Giles caught sight of the spell remnants in the living room floor. The watcher bent down to inspect the items, scanning the candles, the brass bowl with the ingredient mixture, and finally noticing the picture on the floor in the center of the circle. He picked up the snapshot and stared at it.  
  
"What is it?" Xander asked.  
  
"It's a photograph of those friends of Buffy's...what were their names?" The watcher tried to recall.  
  
"Xena and Gabrielle." Xander supplied, looking at the photo over Giles' shoulder. "But what does this have to do with them?"  
  
"I should have known something wasn't right." The watcher insisted, pulling his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.  
  
"What have we learned?" Xander asked. "Cause I gotta tell you, right now I'm lost."  
  
"Magic...obviously Willow was attempting some sort of spell and...something must have gone wrong. If I've told her once, I've told her a hundred times, magic is dangerous and is not to be toyed with." The watcher ranted.  
  
"And the picture?" Xander prompted.  
  
"The photograph might have been used as a...representation for the object of the spell. Clearly, the spell was supposed to affect Xena and Gabrielle in some manner." The watcher explained, pacing back and forth across the living room. "However, that does not explain what happened to Buffy and Willow."  
  
Xander picked up the picture that the watcher had tossed onto the coffee table. "Um, Giles...this may be a stupid question, but...what if Buffy and Willow were in the picture too?"  
  
"What?!" The watcher replied. Xander passed the photo to Giles and he saw what he had not noticed before. "Bloody Hell!"  
  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Xander asked.  
  
"This photo of Xena and Gabrielle...in the background...there is a photograph of Buffy and Willow, here on the mantle." The watcher supplied, walking over to the hearth to look at the object in question.  
  
"So, ah, whatever the spell was supposed to do to Xena and Gabrielle, it could have done to Buffy and Willow too." Xander reasoned.  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"But how do we find out what the spell was for? I don't see any sign of a spellbook." Xander said, scanning the spell remnants.  
  
"Perhaps Willow had some...information about the spell in her bedroom." He suggested, moving toward the stairs.  
  
They scanned the room but found no clues regarding the spell. Xander paused, looking at Willow's desk. "Maybe Will had the information on her laptop." He suggested.  
  
"That might well be." Giles admitted. "We should take it back to the school and look at her files. Perhaps we will find something useful."  
  
"My thoughts exactly." Xander agreed. Moments later, with the hacker's laptop in hand, they left the Rosenberg home.

* * *

The warrior led the group westward for a few hours before stopping in the late afternoon to set up camp for the night. Xena fed and brushed Argo, with some help from Willow, while Buffy and Gabrielle gathered firewood and started the campfire.  
  
"Before dark, I want to do some fishing. I saw a stream not far from here." Xena said. "I should be able to catch something for dinner. I hope you like fish."  
  
"Sounds great." Buffy agreed.  
  
Gabrielle, Buffy and Willow took a seat against some nearby trees and watched as Xena slowly waded out into the stream.  
  
"How's she going to catch the fish?" Willow asked. "Doesn't she need some kind of pole and some bait?"  
  
"Not Xena." Gabrielle chuckled. "She's very resourceful."  
  
"I gotta see this." Buffy laughed.  
  
The warrior stopped when the water was about up to her mid-thigh. She bent down as if listening above the water's surface. After a few moments, she plunged her hands into the water and pulled out a good size fish with a triumphant smile and tossed it up onto the shore.  
  
Willow giggled in surprise. "How'd she do that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I don't know." Gabrielle admitted. "But she does it all the time."  
  
Buffy got up and walked to the water's edge. "How'd you do that?" She asked the warrior.  
  
"Come on in. I'll teach you." Xena offered.  
  
"Are you serious?" The slayer asked.  
  
"Sure. Why not?"  
  
"Okay. I've gotta try this." Buffy decided, kicking off her shoes.  
  
"You should probably take your pants off too. The leather won't take the water too well."  
  
"Is this how you get all the girls naked?" Buffy teased. Willow and Gabrielle laughed at that.  
  
"Very funny." Xena said, trying not to smile. "Just get your pants off and come here."  
  
"Oh, she's demanding. I like it." Buffy joked as she made quick work of removing her pants. Xena actually blushed at Buffy's comment. "You guys sure do like to take your clothes off around here." She added, wading out into the water to where the warrior was standing.  
  
"She's so bad." Willow giggled.  
  
"I think Xena's actually blushing." Gabrielle noted in disbelief. "I've never seen Xena blush before."  
  
Gabrielle and Willow watched as Xena demonstrated her fishing method to Buffy. Willow looked over at the bard and said, "Sorry about earlier...you know when Buffy and I...interrupted...you know. But I'm happy for you. I told you she liked you."  
  
"I don't know what she's thinking. It just kind of happened. We didn't really have a chance to talk about it and now she seems...distant. Maybe I pushed. Maybe she didn't want it."  
  
"It looked to me like she did...not that I was really looking, but I couldn't exactly help seeing...and it, uh, seemed pretty mutual to me." Willow assured her.  
  
"I don't know. I guess I just need to talk to her. This is driving me crazy. Just when I start to get close to her, she pulls away." Gabrielle confessed.  
  
"I know she loves you. Maybe she's just afraid." Willow suggested.  
  
"Maybe." The bard replied.  
  
"You should talk to her. Tonight after dinner, I'm sure I can get Buffy to go for a walk with me and you can be alone with Xena."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep. I think that's what we should do." Willow confirmed with a decisive nod.  
  
A shriek from the lake brought their attention back to Buffy and Xena. "Look, I caught one." Buffy exclaimed. "Do you believe I caught one? Pffft, who needs a fishing pole anyway?"

Gabrielle and Willow laughed out loud as the slayer proudly displayed her catch and then tossed it onto shore. "Way to go, Buff." Willow called.

* * *

It was nearing sunset when they finished eating dinner. "You should get out your scrolls and tell them a story, Gabrielle." Xena suggested, knowing how much the bard enjoyed sharing her stories.  
  
"A story? That sounds fun." Buffy agreed.  
  
"Okay." Gabrielle agreed, pulling out her scroll pouch. "Let's see. Do you want to hear the one about Xena's twin? Or..."  
  
"Xena has a twin? This I've gotta here." Buffy declared. "I can't imagine two Xenas. Seems to me the world has enough to do dealing with the one." She teased. That got a laugh out of the bard and Willow, who tried without success to stifle a giggle.  
  
"It was definitely interesting." Gabrielle admitted.  
  
Buffy and Willow listened intently as the bard began. "I call this one 'Warrior...Princess'..."  
  
She recounted the tale of the princess who looks exactly like Xena, though they aren't related, and how the king called for Xena's help because the princess' life was in danger. When she told them that the warrior switched places with the princess, they laughed out loud.  
  
"Somehow you don't strike me as the princess-y type." Willow noted.  
  
"Yeah, I fit in real well, frilly dresses and all." The warrior said. "Especially when they offered me some strange foods that the princess liked that I had never heard of. Then they offered me 'Akbash' and I said that I was famished and could use a few bites of akbash. It turned out that Akbash was the princess' pet dog."  
  
"You tried to eat her dog?" Buffy laughed.  
  
"That wasn't very nice." Willow giggled.  
  
"Xena, you never told me that!" Gabrielle laughed. "You should tell me these things for my scrolls. Now I'll have to put that in."  
  
The bard finished her story with a little help from Xena and received an enthusiastic round of applause for her efforts. "Tell us another one." Buffy suggested. Willow and Gabrielle shared a look.  
  
"We should give her a break." Willow suggested. "Besides, I really wanna take a walk. Join me?" The redhead asked Buffy.  
  
"Okay." The slayer said, getting to her feet. "What was that all about?" She asked when they were underway.  
  
"Oh, Gabrielle just wanted some time alone with Xena. I told her earlier that we would take a walk after dinner. You don't mind, do you?" Willow asked.  
  
"Mind? No. It makes sense...after what we saw earlier, I can understand they might want a little time alone." Buffy said suggestively.  
  
"Actually they're just going to talk, little miss mind-in-the-gutter!" Willow teased.  
  
"If you say so." Buffy conceded. "But we should probably stay gone for a while...just to be safe."  
  
"If it means avoiding another scene like this morning, I'll stay gone all night." Willow giggled.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Xena asked when the slayer and hacker had left.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The two of them taking off like that."  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe they wanted some time alone." Gabrielle replied.  
  
"Yeah, maybe." Xena conceded.  
  
Hearing a noise behind them, the warrior motioned to Gabrielle to stay still and she slipped off into the darkness to investigate. She could hear the quiet footsteps of someone sneaking up on their camp. Hiding behind some bushes, the warrior waited until the figure came closer. When the time was right, Xena sprang into action, kicking the perpetrator hard in the face. He landed on his back on the ground and made no move to get up. When the warrior took a closer look under the light of the moon, she quickly recognized the face.  
  
"Hello, Perdicus. Not the smartest way to pay us a visit." Xena greeted him.  
  
"Perdicus!" Gabrielle said in disbelief. The bard had no idea why he was there. She just knew that his timing was awful.  
  
"I just had to see something." Perdicus said.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"Your face. I haven't stopped thinking about you since the last time I saw you. Gabrielle...we've always been close. You were my closest friend. And, well... Gabrielle, will you be my wife?"  
  
Xena had left them alone, but as she walked away she heard enough to know that this visit from Perdicus would change everything. She sat by the campfire alone, berating herself for letting her emotions get out of control that morning, for kissing Gabrielle the way that she had. For a moment, she had allowed herself to believe that there could be something more than friendship between them.  
  
She knew that Gabrielle would want to settle down some day - get married and have children. She could have those things with Perdicus. Xena wondered at his timing and was thankful that he came along when he did, before anything else had happened between her and Gabrielle. It would be hard enough as it was to say goodbye to the person that she loved more than anyone or anything in her world, but she doubted that she could accept losing Gabrielle if they had become lovers.

* * *

"What have you been doing since you left Troy?" Gabrielle asked, dodging the marriage proposal entirely.  
  
"Fighting. That's all I've been doing, it seems. After Troy, I...wandered into another war. One day, I killed three men. I started to have dreams about...all the men whose lives I'd taken. I couldn't stand it. One night...I had my dagger at my heart. Then I saw something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your face." He answered.  
  
"Perdicus, I don't know if I'm really who you think I am."  
  
"Gabrielle...we were to be married once. And you decided that that wasn't to be. And you were right. You were right. I wasn't ready, either. But I am now. I love you...and if you'll take me...I want you to be my wife."  
  
"I'm sorry. I...just excuse me...OK?" Gabrielle said, walking back toward the campsite to find Xena. She worried about what the warrior must be thinking, with Perdicus showing up like this.  
  
"Xena?" Gabrielle called, looking around, but the warrior was nowhere to be found. 'She must be checking on Argo.' The bard walked across the campsite and down the path where Argo had been tied, but the horse was gone. Gabrielle knew something was wrong then. Xena never left without telling her, let alone at night. She walked quickly back to where she had left Perdicus.  
  
"Perdicus, I'm sorry that you've been so unhappy. I hope you find some peace, and someone to love...but I can't marry you." Gabrielle explained.  
  
"Why not, Gabrielle? I love you."  
  
"I will always care about you, Perdicus, but I'm not in love with you." The bard explained softly.  
  
"I have enough love for both of us, Gabrielle. You could learn to love me." He replied.  
  
"I'm sorry, Perdicus, I can't. My life is with Xena now. It's not an easy life sometimes, but this is where I belong. There's no place I'd rather be."  
  
"I understand...I should probably be going."  
  
"Take care of yourself." Gabrielle said, hugging him. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Goodbye, Perdicus."  
  
"Goodbye, Gabrielle."

* * *

"I wonder what's going on back at home." Willow commented. "I hope the mayor and Faith aren't causing trouble."  
  
"I know. I bet Giles is totally losing it by now wondering where we are." Buffy replied. "It's a good thing your parents are never home and that my mom's gone to a conference this week. With any luck, maybe we'll be back home before anyone misses us. Except Giles, of course."  
  
"I bet Angel misses you too. I'm sure he's worried." Willow noted.  
  
"Somehow, I doubt that. I'm sure he doesn't even know. The other night after the fiasco with the mayor, we broke up."  
  
"Aww, Buffy. I'm sorry." The redhead said. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Things were just so chaotic and then I guess I just didn't think of it." Buffy admitted. "He's planning on leaving town after we finish things with the mayor."  
  
"Are you okay?" Willow asked, reaching out to take Buffy's hand.  
  
"Actually, I am. Things haven't been the greatest between Angel and me for a long time. After he lost his soul and went on a killing spree, our relationship was never the same. Then, you restored his soul and I had to send him to hell to stop Acathla from ending the world. I was so guilt-ridden for killing him that it took me a while to get over it. When I was finally moving on, he came back and I knew what he had suffered in hell because of me, so I took care of him. But I've been realizing lately that it's been a long time since I was in love with him...if I ever was." Buffy admitted.  
  
"I don't know what to say. I really thought you loved him."  
  
"I don't even know anymore if it was love or just some sort of self-destructive kick. It was the classic bad boy attraction, you know? I couldn't date anyone normal because of the life that I lead and Angel and I were thrown together because of the slaying, and he was forbidden...I was the typical sixteen-year-old girl, attracted to the mystery or the drama or something. Misery has a special sort of attraction, especially for someone as screwed up as I was. But what did we really have in common? Not much except the slaying, and that wasn't something we could truly share because I was the slayer and he was the one I was supposed to be slaying. I will always care about Angel, but I know that I shouldn't have been involved with him. If I hadn't, Miss Calendar would still be alive...along with a lot of other people."  
  
"Wow. I never would have thought you felt this way." The redhead replied, nearly speechless at the revelation.  
  
"I didn't really realize any of this until recently. I knew there was definitely something lacking with Angel for a while, but I hadn't thought much about it until a few weeks ago. Then, the things the mayor said the other night kind of hit home and since then...it's all sort of been getting clear." Buffy explained. "You don't have to worry. I'm totally of the good." The slayer assured her, squeezing Willow's hand. "Which reminds me...you said the other day that there was something you wanted to ask me about the mayor."  
  
"Uh huh. Well, I've just been thinking about the mayor and what Wesley said...you could've destroyed the Box of Gavrock and stopped the mayor's Ascension. Gabrielle told me that it was your idea to trade the box to get me back. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful...but I don't understand why you would risk so much..." Willow explained.  
  
"Wes was a real jerk. He made it clear that in the council's eyes, in his eyes, I failed in my duty as the slayer, that I made the wrong choice. But I'm not just a slayer. I'm a person too. Ever since I was called, I've done my duty whether I liked it or not. This time...I had to do what was right for me. I need you, Will. There was no choice really. I did what I had to do to get you back."  
  
"What if we can't find a way to stop the Ascension? I guess I'm surprised that you would take that chance...just to save me." Willow confessed.  
  
Buffy knew this was it. It was time to stop hiding from it and tell Willow the truth, so she began, "You're kind of a captive audience here. Nowhere to run, so that's good." She paused, taking a deep breath, before continuing. "With all that's happened lately with you being captured by the mayor, almost stabbed by Faith, Bacchus...I've realized I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you and I hadn't told you that I love you, Willow." Buffy concluded, bracing herself for the hacker's response.  
  
"I know. I love you too, Buffy." The redhead replied, looking confused. "You're the best friend I've ever had, the best friend I could ever have. I don't want to ever lose that."  
  
Realizing that Willow didn't understand what she had meant, Buffy gathered her thoughts and tried again. "You are my best friend, but you're much more than that to me. And I'm not telling you this because I expect something from you...really, I don't. But in that moment, when I found out that you were captured, I realized that if you died, nothing else mattered. I had to get you back, to tell you...no matter what happens...that I love you." To be sure there was no confusion this time, Buffy leaned in and whispered again, "I love you, Will." And tenderly, lovingly kissed the stunned redhead.  
  
Slowly pulling back, Buffy quickly added, "You don't have to say anything. I just needed to say --mmm." Her sentence went unfinished as the hacker dove toward her and kissed her with such intensity that Buffy ended up lying on her back on the ground with Willow on top of her. A moment later, Willow broke off the kiss, looking down at the slayer.  
  
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.  
  
Willow chuckled. "How can you even ask that? I love you." The hacker insisted, entwining her hand with Buffy's. "And I can prove it." The redhead said with a mischievous grin.  
  
The slayer laughed. "Oh yeah? How?"  
  
Willow kissed her then with complete abandon, letting three years of pent-up love and longing finally flow freely. She held the slayer with a tender intensity and let her hands move through the golden tresses of Buffy's hair. Their heated kiss melded them together and time stood still. Some minutes later when they finally broke the kiss, Buffy asked breathlessly, "Wow. Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"  
  
"Thinking about you." Willow quietly answered.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Mental training." Willow chuckled. "You practice doing something in your mind, concentrate and visualize how you want to do it. Athletes do it all the time to improve their skills. Of course, most people just call it fantasizing." The redhead explained.  
  
"You made that up!" Buffy said chuckling.  
  
"No, really. I swear it's the truth. What do you think I was thinking about this morning when you woke up?" The redhead added with an impish grin.  
  
"No!" Buffy chuckled.  
  
"Yep." Willow confirmed.  
  
"I can't believe you were taking advantage of me in my sleep!" Buffy scolded. Willow rushed to apologize, but the slayer put a finger to her lips and added, "I mean...you should have woken me up so I could enjoy it."  
  
"I love you, Buffy." The redhead said, tears forming in her soft green eyes.  
  
"I'm a lucky girl." Buffy replied, reaching up to touch Willow's face. "I love you too."

* * *

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. Storms

Author's Note: Please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the story. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or comments.  
----------------------------------------------

Chapter 5 - Storms

Buffy and Willow lay on the grass, hands entwined, looking up at the stars. A gift of love had been offered, but the silent musings of the unworthy are the hardest demons to slay. "Buffy?" The redhead's voice was laden with uncertainty. The blonde turned onto her side to face her.

"What's on your mind?" Buffy placed a tender kiss on the back of Willow's hand.

"I just..." Willow was reluctant to voice her fears, but couldn't stop the slivers of doubt that crept into her mind. Could this really be happening? She had secretly dreamed of this day for so long. But, it all just seemed so unreal.

"Second thoughts?" Buffy swallowed the pain and attempted a smile, but her eyes betrayed her, revealing the fear that gripped her heart. The tender hazel interrogation jarred Willow out of her meditation.

"Oh, Buffy, no." The hacker shifted onto her side to face her love and her fears. Realizing that she had infected Buffy with her insecurity, Willow tried to clarify her feelings. "It's just that I..." She stalled again, discarding each phrase that sounded too needy, and was left without any words to describe how she felt.

It was clear that Buffy needed an explanation. Willow lowered her head. "Is this really real? It feels like a dream. How could you love me?" The words were drenched in neediness.

"How could I _not_ love you?" She caressed Willow's cheek before gently brushing back a stray lock of red hair.

"Everyone else seems to manage it." The redhead whispered sadly.

"Their stupidity is my good fortune." Buffy said. "If anyone else had half a brain, then you wouldn't be mine." The conviction in her voice jumpstarted Willow's heart.

"I will always be yours." Willow confessed as Buffy pulled the redhead into her arms as the need to be closer asserted itself.

"Buffy? Willow?" Something in the bard's voice triggered warning bells in the slayer's head.

"We're over here." Buffy said, springing to her feet and offering Willow a hand.

"Have you seen Xena?" Gabrielle looked on the verge of tears.

"No. Why?" Buffy scanned the bard's face, searching for a clue. "What happened?"

"I think she left. Argo's gone."

"Did you have a fight?" Willow asked, laying a comforting hand on the bard's arm. Gabrielle shook her head.

"Let's go back to camp and you can tell us what happened." Buffy led the bard toward the light of the campfire where they settled on the ground atop the bedroll that Gabrielle and Xena shared. The bard's voice shook and her natural eloquence was replaced with stumbling incoherence as she told of Perdicus' arrival and Xena's subsequent departure.

"Hey...it'll be okay." Willow assured her, though her own eyes mirrored the worry in Gabrielle's. The hacker put an arm around her shoulders and the bard welcomed the comfort, sinking into Willow's arms, liberating the tears that she had been holding back.

Buffy gazed at the pair, conflicted, as both love and irritation washed over her; the former at the sight of the redhead tenderly comforting their distraught friend and the latter as she thought about Xena's repeated withdrawals. She brushed her fingertips adoringly across Willow's cheek before resting a hand on the bard's shoulder and softly questioning her. "Do you know where she might go?" Gabrielle sat up then, wiping her eyes as she shook her head. "I could go look for her..." Buffy trailed off realizing it would be an exercise in futility.

"She could be anywhere." Gabrielle sighed. "Even if you knew where she was going, you couldn't catch up with her on foot."

"I'm sure she'll be back soon." Willow said, hoping that she was right.

"She probably just needed some time alone." Buffy said.

* * *

Some hours later, Xena quietly rode into to the camp to find the three girls asleep. She sank to the ground, back against a nearby tree, and, as she often did, gazed at the sleeping bard. Weariness painted the warrior's face, giving her an unusual air of vulnerability. The steel in her blue eyes melted away, replaced with a soft azure glow, as she looked upon the ethereal figure of her best friend framed in moonlight. She let go the reigns of self-control and entertained visions of holding the strawberry-blonde in her arms. Memories of times they had shared rained down on her, healing her tattered heart as a summer shower might a drought-scorched field. Moments later, the warrior's mask slid into place, imprisoning Xena beneath, as one thought pulled her out of her reverie: Perdicus.

* * *

Shortly before dawn, dull gray clouds rolled into the sky overhead, blocking out the would-be sunrise. Buffy woke disoriented as the drizzle fell upon her face. Willow stirred in her arms and turned sleepily toward the blonde who placed a series of whisper-soft kisses on the redhead's inviting lips. Pleasant little jolts of electricity coursed through her body and forced Willow from her slumber. She smiled into the hazel eyes that greeted her as she snuggled ever closer to the source of radiant warmth that was Buffy. Neither seemed to notice when the rain stepped up its assault as they gazed into each other's eyes and closed the unwelcome distance that stood between their lips.

The chill of the rain made Gabrielle shiver in her sleep and instinctively she reached out, seeking Xena's warmth. Her brain registered the empty space on the bedroll beside her and the bard opened her eyes to the dreary day. She sighed with relief as she noticed the warrior a few feet away sleeping under the protective cover of a large tree. The second sight her eyes fell upon was the passionate kiss of her two friends who appeared content to lie in the rain all day protected from the cold by only the blanket of their love.

The sound of the bard shuffling around the campsite as she rescued their belongings from the rain brought Buffy and Willow back to reality. Still smiling dreamily at each other, they hurried out of the bedroll, quickly gathering it up before running under the tree where Gabrielle had sought shelter next to Xena. The warrior woke and rose to her feet as they approached. The storm moved to the next level as rain pounded the earth and lightning streaked across the sky touching down in the distance.

"It's not safe here." Xena said. "We've got to make a break for it. Come on." The warrior ran through the camp to where Argo was tied. Grabbing the reigns, she took off at a run leading the horse as the others followed her to a nearby cave. The group dashed into the cave a few minutes later, each drenched and chilled to the bone from the pouring rain.

Buffy put her arms around the shivering redhead who accepted the warmth with a grateful smile. Gabrielle stared at Xena who promptly moved deeper into the cave and sat down and began sharpening her sword, her favorite pastime when she wanted to avoid the bard. Buffy and Willow watched Xena walk past the bard and then looked at each other. Buffy motioned toward Gabrielle with a tilt of her head. Willow nodded and went to the bard, gesturing toward Xena as she whispered. "Go, talk to her."

Buffy sat down, resting against the wall near the mouth of the cave, which was only partially lit by the overcast day outside. As Gabrielle walked into the near darkness in search of the warrior, Willow sought and found her slayer. Buffy's eyes sparkled as she patted the floor between her legs, indicating for the redhead to sit. The hacker smiled a sweet smile and scooted into place, leaning back into Buffy's chest. Enveloped in the warmth of the slayer's embrace, Willow tilted her head to meet the hazel eyes that she cherished. On one side, they heard the constant cadence of the rain. On the other, they heard the faint voices of their friends. Convinced that all would soon be resolved between the warrior and bard, Buffy and Willow cuddled contentedly, hands entwined on the redhead's midriff, stealing an occasional kiss as they waited for the storms to pass.

* * *

"Xena?" The bard called tentatively to the figure in the darkness.

"Hmm?" The warrior sitting with her sword in front of her, answered without looking up, without breaking the rhythm of stone against steel.

Gabrielle sat down next to Xena in the near total darkness and tried, without success, to catch the warrior's gaze. "I was hoping we could talk." The bard's voice was barely above a whisper.

"About?" The warrior's mask was firmly in place and her voice gave nothing away.

"About us." Gabrielle laid a hand lightly on Xena's knee.

"Us?" Xena answered as if she had never heard the word before, casually shifting so that the bard's hand fell from her knee. Gabrielle withdrew her hand and swallowed the rejection whole.

"Are you just going to sit there, Xena? Sit there sharpening your damn sword, pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about?" The bard blurted, her hands trembling in her lap. The sharpening stone stilled and the warrior sheathed her sword. She turned to meet Gabrielle's gaze, falling into the green eyes that glistened with unshed tears in the dim light of the cave. A small hopeful smile graced the bard's lips as the warrior's mask fell away. Gabrielle toward Xena or Xena toward Gabrielle, one or both bridged the distance between them as their lips met in a much-needed kiss.

For a moment, the world around them fell away as they moved into each other's arms and deepened the kiss, both trying to satiate the need for the other's embrace. When the warrior's brain signaled that this was getting out of hand, Xena retreated. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle." The warrior whispered breathlessly as she sprang to her feet and crossed the cave. In the few seconds that it took the bard to register what had happened and go after her, Xena had effected her escape, slipping out of the cave and into the storm.

Seeing Xena dart past them out into the rain, Willow and Buffy stood up in surprise. Gabrielle stopped her pursuit of the warrior at the mouth of the cave, collapsing against the wall. "What happened?" Willow questioned, a concerned look furrowing her brow. The bard ran shaking hands through her hair before answering with a defeated shrug as she cast her eyes to the floor and her tears splashed at her feet.

"Okay, that's it!" The slayer said. "This ends right now." She brushed her lips against Willow's cheek before stalking out into the rain after the warrior.

* * *

In full slayer mode, Buffy searched the surrounding area, hunting for the warrior. She found Xena standing in a clearing past a line of trees that had obscured her view from the mouth of the cave. "Hey, what is UP with you?!" The blonde asked, coming to a halt beside Xena. The slayer's stance oozed frustration.

Xena glanced up from the ground trying to cover the hurt on her face with the trusty mask she regularly hid behind. Buffy caught a glimpse of the pain and swiftly shifted gears into supportive mode. "She loves you. You love her." She said softly. "I don't see the problem here." Xena cast her eyes downward again and Buffy stood there confused as the rain pounded down, drenching them both. "Look...you've got to talk to her."

"I can't."

"She's in there crying, Xena." Buffy pointed meaningfully in the direction of the cave. "She needs you." The warrior stood frozen in place. "Come on, we can't just keep standing out here in the rain." The slayer urged, taking Xena's hand firmly in hers. "We're gonna take care of this right now." The warrior offered some resistance, but found herself pulled along as Buffy exhibited some slayer strength in dragging her back toward the cave.

* * *

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. Mutual Understandings

Author's Note: Please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the story. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or comments.  
----------------------------------------------

Chapter 6 - Mutual Understandings

"Oz? Hey Oz, man...wait up." Xander called across the hallway, jogging to catch up with the werewolf.

"Hey." Oz answered without enthusiasm, reluctantly slowing down so the other boy could fall into step beside him.

"I haven't seen you around much." Xander said nervously. "Uh, I was wondering if you've heard from Will."

"Haven't seen her." Oz stared absently down the hall. Xander looked at the werewolf, seeing a look cross his face that the taller boy couldn't decipher.

"I just figured, I mean...if anyone would know where she was, it'd be you." Xander stumbled over the words awkwardly. Oz met his gaze then and bitterness flashed in the werewolf's eyes.

"Why don't you ask Buffy?" Oz turned to walk away.

"That's the thing..." Xander said, stepping in front of the werewolf to stop his departure. "The Buffster's missing in action too." He answered, oblivious to the implication in the other boy's words. Oz glared at him briefly, then pushed past the larger boy and disappeared into the sea of students. Xander stared after him with his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"There's something strange going on here." Xander said as he strolled into the library.

"Yes, I know." Giles replied, pushing the newspaper across the front counter toward the boy. "This does not bode well."

"What?" Xander looked confused. "I don't think we're on the same page here." He added, picking up the paper to scan the headlines. "I was, uh, talking about Oz. But...oh yeah...this is _not_ good. 'Three more girls were admitted to Sunnydale Memorial last night with severe blood loss. All three victims suffered unexplained neck wounds'." He read aloud. "_So_ not good."

"Yes. I'm afraid if we don't find Buffy soon..." The watcher paused, removing his glasses.

"We'll be lookin' at Suckfest '99." Xander filled in.

"Perhaps." Giles admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What was it you were saying about Oz?"

"Oh, I just ran into him in the hallway. Asked him if he'd heard from Willow." Xander said. "He was being all cryptic-guy, like he was mad and then he just took off."

"Odd...that doesn't sound like Oz." Giles said, his brow furrowed in thought.

"So, did you find anything useful on Will's computer?" Xander said. "It looks like that's our only hope." Giles began to pace again, irritation plainly written on his features.

"I can't even get _into_ the blasted thing!"

"What do you mean?" Xander looked confused.

"It seems that Willow...has some sort of encryption on it." The watcher's voice was drenched in annoyance. "I've been at it all night, trying to _guess_ the password."

"Maybe I should give it a try." Xander suggested, walking over to the table to sit down in front of the laptop. "After all, I am her best friend. If anybody could guess her password, it'd be me, right?" The watcher looked unconvinced, but finally waved his hand at the machine figuring that it was worth a try.

* * *

Buffy led Xena a few paces into the cave, stopping the warrior in front of Gabrielle before letting go of her grip on Xena's hand. The slayer stood silent, blocking the only escape route, waiting for someone to begin. She and Xena, both soaked through from the rain, began to puddle on the floor.

"See...isn't this cozy?" Buffy asked when no one spoke. Willow looked at their silent friends and then at Buffy, offering a sheepish smile. "So...who wants to go first?" The slayer prompted. Gabrielle shifted uncomfortably and stole a quick glance at Xena who was staring off into the darkness of the cave.

"You're not gonna make this easy, are you?" Buffy asked, looking pointedly from the warrior to the bard. "Okay, time to kiss and makeup." Xena and Gabrielle both looked at her, their expressions a mixture of surprise and panic, as the slayer took each of their hands and linked them together before taking a small step back. They stared between them at their joined hands and both visibly relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle." The tenderness in the warrior's voice made the bard's stomach do flips.

Buffy met Willow's gaze above the linked hands of their friends, silently communicating. Willow's concern showed on her face and Buffy offered a reassuring smile and motioned for the redhead to come closer. Willow made her way over to Buffy and eagerly took the hand she was offered.

"I don't understand. What are you sorry for, Xena?" The bard pleaded, searching the stormy gray-blue eyes in front of her. A rueful smile flashed on the warrior's face as she met Gabrielle's gaze.

"For...not being more supportive." Xena told the half-truth, leaving the rest unsaid. The other half was the selfish part - her bitterness that Gabrielle would be leaving her behind to make a life with Perdicus.

"Supportive?" The bard looked questioningly up at the warrior, confusion etched in her features. "I don't know what you mean."

"Look, Gabrielle...seeing you happy will make me happy." Xena said, looking down lovingly at the bard. A pained look flickered across her face and she looked away before continuing. "And if that means settling down with Perdicus, then...you have my blessing." The warrior choked on the words, barely managing to complete the sentence.

Shaking her head, disappointment written in her features, Gabrielle pulled her hands from Xena's and stepped back to lean against the wall. A wide array of emotions played across the bard's face. Hurt was evident, along with a spark of anger. Tears threatened again and she balled her fists at her sides and fought the urge to cry, attempting to stop the pain from showing on her face. Lost in her own emotions, Xena couldn't process Gabrielle's reaction and she continued, trying to reassure the bard that she would support her marriage to Perdicus.

"If it's me you're worried about...let me set your mind at rest. I'll be fine." The warrior said, though her face looked anything but fine. Grief pinched her features, darkening her eyes to sapphire as she looked down at the bard.

"It's good to know how little I mean to you." The bard's words were the epitome of biting sarcasm. Feeling irreparably wounded and suddenly trapped, Gabrielle raced toward the mouth of the cave, seeking escape.

"Hey, don't go." Buffy reached out for her, stopping her. The bard forcefully pulled herself from the slayer's grasp with an enraged look in her eyes. Seeing the tender concern on Buffy and Willow's faces then, Gabrielle's anger dissipated and the heartache spilled over.

"I'm sorry." The bard said, looking at her friends apologetically as she fell into the slayer's offered embrace. "After everything that we've been through...I mean nothing to her." Gabrielle muttered, sobbing into Buffy's shoulder.

"That's not true." Buffy said soothingly. "Tell her, Xena." The slayer glared at the warrior who watched in confusion, clueless as to what she had done to upset the bard.

"You know I care about you, Gabrielle." Xena said softly, stepping up to put a hand on the bard's shoulder. "You're my best friend..." Gabrielle jerked away from the touch, laughing bitterly in response to the warrior's words.

"You'll be fine if I marry Perdicus?" The bard asked caustically, stepping out of Buffy's arms to glare at Xena. "Well, I won't be fine, Xena." Gabrielle's voice was firm, but quiet as she looked up at the warrior and her green eyes softened a bit. "I don't love Perdicus...I love you."

"You're still young, Gabrielle." Xena said, dismissing the 'I love you' the bard had spoken. The warrior looked at the floor, trying to distance herself from the woman in front of her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Gabrielle raised her voice, starting to anger again.

"You're priorities will change." Xena asserted, still avoiding the bard's gaze.

"What? Is that really what you think, Xena?" The bard crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. Xena simply nodded. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

Seeing the discussion falling apart again, Buffy stepped forward to try to calm them down. "Hey, guys, everything all right?"

"Just great!" Gabrielle laughed sarcastically. "Xena is impossible!" Buffy couldn't stop herself from chuckling slightly at the comment. The warrior glared at the slayer.

"Sorry, but it's true." Buffy chuckled. Gabrielle laughed at that, relishing the fact that her opinion was validated. The warrior turned to stare at the bard then.

"You're one to talk. You are the most infuriating woman I've ever met!" Xena informed her. This elicited another chuckle from Buffy while Gabrielle stood stewing over the comment, offering them both a scowl.

"Might not be my place to say this, but...I think you two were made for each other." Buffy said with a mischievous smirk. Willow giggled as she came to stand beside the slayer. The warrior and bard were silent, neither one willing to reply to the comment.

"Xena..." Gabrielle stepped forward finally, catching the warrior's gaze. "I've loved you since the day we met. I've tried to deny it...tried to be just your friend, but every day, I just love you more. I don't want _any_ life without you. If you care about me at all..._please_ stop pulling away from me. _Please _stop being so difficult. You are driving me _insane_." The bard stared into Xena's deep blue eyes and saw a small spark of amusement. The warrior pulled Gabrielle into her arms. Buffy and Willow made a hasty retreat, sensing that this was a private moment between their friends.

"Why do you put up with me?" Xena's voice had an air of amusement and her blue eyes smiled down at the bard as she held her in her arms.

"I don't know." The bard said with a teasing smile, snuggling into the warrior's chest. "Maybe because you put up with me." Xena laughed.

"Did you really mean what you said?" The warrior asked, her voice turning suddenly serious. "All this time...?" Gabrielle pulled back a little to look into Xena's eyes.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Are you sure...that this is what you want?" Xena searched the green eyes as if they would answer.

"Believe me...I'm sure." Gabrielle said softly, reaching up to touch the warrior's cheek.

"I love you, Gabrielle." Xena said breathlessly on her way to capturing the bard's lips. Gabrielle wrapped her arms possessively around the warrior's neck and surrendered to the kiss, vaguely wondering how long her legs would hold her. Xena held the bard tenderly, kissing her lips, running her fingers through strawberry blonde hair, cherishing the woman that she couldn't bear to lose. The bard yearned for more. She softly nipped the warrior's bottom lip before running her tongue teasingly across Xena's lips, seeking entrance into the warrior's mouth.

Overwhelmed by the sensation, Xena responded with a soft whimpering moan. When the warrior's lips opened slightly as the sound escaped, Gabrielle took the opportunity to slip her tongue into the warrior's mouth. The warrior's arms tightened around the bard in response, crushing their bodies together, giving into the longing and desire growing between them.

Buffy had to clear her throat three times to get their attention while Willow looked on, blushing wildly, but with a small smile. When the warrior and bard registered the sound and realized that they had an audience, they slowly pulled away from each other, looking like two guilty teenagers. "Sorry to interrupt, but it's kind of a small cave." Buffy noted with a teasing smile. "And...you're embarrassing my Willow." The redhead hid behind Buffy.

"Sorry." Gabrielle offered sheepishly.

"S'okay. I totally understand." Buffy smiled suggestively and pulled the redhead from behind her. "We're just glad that you two finally worked things out. Right, Will?"

"Uh huh." Willow nodded enthusiastically. "No more fighting please. Although the making up _is_ fun...but you don't have to fight to do the making up part. I mean, it's much nicer with just the snuggles and the smoochies a-and..." Lost in her babble, the redhead stared at Buffy with a dreamy look on her face.

"I think they get it, sweetie." Buffy laughed, pulling her girlfriend into a sideways embrace and kissing her on the cheek. Willow giggled and snuggled into to the blonde's side, wrapping her arms around Buffy's waist.

"You called me sweetie." The redhead said as she planted a series of soft kisses on the blonde's neck.

"That's cause you're so sweet." Buffy smiled adoringly at Willow as she pulled her closer. "I might have to call you cutie too. Cause you're so cute." The hacker smiled blissfully, blushing a little, unused to such attention but cherishing every word.

"Nope. You're the cute one." Willow said, leaning in to meet the blonde's lips.

"And you think we're out of control?" Xena interrupted, smirking at the two girls.

"They can't help that they're in love." Gabrielle smiled, settling into the warrior's side with her arms wrapped securely around Xena's waist.

"Yeah. We can't help it that we're in love." Willow said flashing the warrior a playful grin. Buffy chuckled.

"You're too adorable, you know?" The blonde said, turning the redhead's face to capture her engaging green eyes. Turning to Gabrielle, she said. "Um, could you keep her quiet for a minute." She gestured to Xena and winked at the bard. "I have something I need to do." With that, she turned into Willow's embrace and did the best she could to kiss the redhead senseless.

Gabrielle turned the warrior's face toward hers and smiled up at her before guiding Xena's lips to her own. For several minutes, the cave was quiet, except for the whispers of love shared between kisses. When the warrior felt her self-control slipping, she reminded herself that they were not alone and eased her hold on the bard, pulling away slightly to catch her breath. Gabrielle gazed up at her lovingly, capturing the warrior's intense blue eyes. "I love you, Xena." The warrior was struck speechless, realizing that she finally had what she had wanted for so long.

"I love you, too, Gabrielle." Xena finally managed to whisper. Knowing that she couldn't continue holding the bard without losing the last shreds of her control, she reluctantly pulled away and turned to look at their friends. Buffy and Willow were still wrapped in each other's arms, no longer kissing, simply resting their foreheads together as they gazed meaningfully into each other's eyes. It seemed that they were having a conversation without any words. "If you two are ready...we should probably get going. I think the rain has stopped."

"Oh. Okay." Buffy replied without moving. She was having serious trouble dragging her eyes away from Willow's. With a wide smile and a wink, she finally forced her attention away from the redhead and toward the warrior, taking Willow's hand as they ended their embrace.

* * *

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. Brutal Encounters

Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Feedback will be appreciated...so when you finish reading, please take a minute to review and let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 7 - Brutal Encounters 

"I've called you all here because we have...a situation, quite a serious problem actually." Giles started, pacing in front of the table as he addressed Xander, Cordelia, Oz, and Angel who had assembled in the library at the watcher's request. "Buffy and Willow seem to be...missing. Wesley is currently in England on council business. Neither he nor the council are aware of this...and it's imperative that we keep it that way."

"Missing?" Angel looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I last heard from them on Tuesday. Yesterday, Xander and I went to Willow's house and found the remnants of a spell of some sort. At this point, we can only assume that something went wrong when they cast the spell. Do any of you know what they might have been up to?" The watcher paused, surveying the group. They all shook their heads, shocked at the news.

"I haven't talked to Buffy since Monday." Angel recalled their conversation that night in the cemetery, still saddened by their breakup.

"I haven't seen either of them this week." Cordy snorted. "No wonder it's been so peaceful around here."

"Peaceful is not a word I would use to describe their absence." Giles said bluntly, tossing the newspapers from the past two days onto the table in front of the group. "Without the slayer, this town is wholly unprotected and it seems the vampires are delighting in their freedom." The group peered down at the headlines on the front pages of the papers. Story after story told of unexplained attacks that the authorities were blaming on wild dogs - a typical Sunnydale police cover story for vampire activities. For once, Cordelia looked contrite and the group quietly pondered what it meant to live in a Sunnydale without a slayer.

"You haven't said anything, Oz." Giles addressed the werewolf. "Do you know anything about this spell Willow was working on?"

"I haven't talked to Will since Sunday. We broke up." He met the watcher's questioning gaze. Several pairs of eyes looked at him curiously. "She said something about a project that she was working on with Buffy. It could have been a spell. She didn't say."

"Yes, well," Giles paced again, "I'm sure you can all imagine how much worse things will get if Buffy doesn't return soon."

"What about Faith and the mayor?" Xander blurted. "If they knew..."

"Precisely why we need to keep this quiet until we can figure out a way to bring Buffy back." Giles pointed out.

"Afraid it's a little too late for that, G." Faith said, jumping down from the upper level where she had been hiding in the stacks, landing between the watcher and Angel. Angel scrambled to his feet, rushing the dark slayer and tackling her to the floor. Faith received the vampire with a wicked laugh. "Now that B's outta town, you're suddenly interested in a roll in the hay?" She asked, fighting Angel for control as they rolled around on the floor. "But I like to be on top." She said, flipping the vampire. Angel landed on his back with Faith straddling his waist.

Nobody saw the stake in her hand until it was too late. In the flurry of activity, the slayer had slipped the stake from her waistband and plunged it into the vampire's chest. "Was it good for you?" She asked, wearing a dementedly sultry smile as she thrust her hips against the vampire's lap one last time before he turned to dust beneath her. Hopping to her feet, Faith casually dusted herself off and turned to the rest of the group.

Standing behind the counter, Giles attempted to talk her down. "Faith, I can help you. We can work things out." He grasped at straws, stalling for time while looking for a weapon. The rogue slayer chuckled maniacally, lunging toward the counter. Xander and Oz looked at each other and sprang into action in mutual agreement. Reaching over the counter, Faith grabbed the watcher by his shirt, jerking him forward.

"I don't think the boss would like it if you brought B back." The slayer advised through clenched teeth. Xander and Oz jumped her from behind and she temporarily released Giles' shirtfront, turning toward the two boys and sending them both reeling backward in the process. "Hey boys...not very smart." Faith rushed them then, landing a roundhouse kick in Oz's face that sent him crashing into the wall. Focusing on Xander then, the dark slayer held onto his shirt collar with one hand while pummeling his face with her other. "I can't _believe_ I slept with a _loser_ like you."

Cordelia remained curled up in the corner in shock, while Giles fumbled around behind the counter until his hands fell upon the tranquilizer rifle that he kept on hand in case of an emergency on Oz's wolf days. Giles took aim with the rifle, trying to get a clean shot at Faith. At the same time that he pulled the trigger, Oz scrambled to his feet, jumping into the fray again and inadvertently blocked the watcher's target. Oz fell to the floor in a heap when the dart pierced his back. "Nice shot, G." Faith sneered as she continued to kick and punch a thoroughly bloodied Xander.

Giles rushed to reload the weapon as the dark slayer casually tossed Xander aside and turned toward the watcher. Faith jumped the counter with ease bringing her face to face with the watcher. As she lunged toward him, Giles jumped back against the wall and squeezed the trigger, breathing a sigh of relief when the dart imbedded itself in the slayer's chest and she fell at his feet, unconscious.

* * *

"Almost there." Xena assured them as they crested the hill just outside of Athens. In the distance, she could make out the buildings that marked the edge of town as they rounded a curve in the winding dirt road. 

"We've got company." The warrior ground out a minute later, coming to an abrupt halt. Assuming a defensive stance, she whipped her head around and did a rough count of the men approaching them on all sides.

With her senses on high alert, Xena effortlessly caught the arrow that whizzed toward her from the tree line. The warrior laughed wickedly, snapping the arrow like a twig and dropping it at her feet. The half dozen men charged them then, drawing swords as they closed in on the group. Xena, Buffy and Gabrielle formed a circle around Willow with their backs to each other.

The warrior took down the first two men with a split kick and clashed swords with a third. Buffy disarmed another with a lightning-fast roundhouse kick that sent his sword into the brush at the edge of the road, followed by a high kick to the face that propelled her attacker back several feet clutching his bleeding, broken nose.

The slayer turned, instinctively rushing to Gabrielle's aid as two of the men approached the bard. With her staff in hand, Gabrielle landed a forceful shot to one man's head, following it up with a crippling blow to the other man's knees while Buffy watched in awe. The men scattered in all directions, trying to escape further injury.

Xena caught the nearest attacker by the scruff of the neck, kicking out his knee from behind. He crumpled to the ground and the warrior squatted over him. Jabbing two fingers of each hand into the sides of his throat, she put the pinch on him. Fear filled his eyes as he clutched his throat, unable to breathe. Xena casually stood up, resting one foot lightly on his chest as she explained.

"I've just blocked off the flow of blood to your brain. You'll be dead in thirty seconds unless I release you. Who sent you?"

"No one." The man struggled to speak as blood trickled from his nose. "We...just...wanted...your gold." He managed to say. Buffy and Willow watched dazedly as Xena squatted down and released the pinch. "Go on. Get out of here." Xena warned and the man scrambled away wide-eyed, trying to catch his breath.

"What was that?!" Buffy asked incredulously when the warrior turned to face them.

"What?"

"That thing...with his neck." The slayer asked impatiently, imitating the warrior's hand motions.

"Oh, that." Xena smirked. "Pressure points." Buffy and Willow stared at her, fascinated.

"We call it 'the pinch'" The bard explained. "Xena does it all the time. It's very useful for getting information." She added thoughtfully.

"So I noticed." Buffy chuckled, raising an eyebrow at the warrior.

"That's...amazing." Willow chimed in, finally finding her voice. "W-what about that arrow? You caught it."

"Just a matter of focus." Xena waved it off as nothing.

"And you! Where did you learn to fight like that?" Buffy turned to the bard.

"I trained with the Amazons." Gabrielle explained as they continued walking toward town. The slayer's jaw dropped and Willow's eyes bulged in shock.

"You know the Amazons?" The redhead muttered in disbelief. Gabrielle nodded.

"Last year, Xena and I were traveling through Amazon lands. They were at war with the Centaurs. During the fighting, Terreis, one of the Amazons, was hit by an arrow. I tried to help her and she gave me her rite of caste before she died."

"What does that mean?" Willow asked.

"Terreis was an Amazon princess and by giving me her rite of caste that means that I take on her rank in the tribe."

"So, let me get this straight..." Buffy chuckled. "You're an Amazon princess?"

"Uh huh." Gabrielle nodded. Xena smirked at the slayer and hacker who stared at the bard as if they were seeing her for the first time.

* * *

"Cordelia? Cordelia!" The watcher called, trying to get the stunned brunette's attention. The disheveled queen looked up to see Giles dragging an unconscious Faith from behind the counter. "Open the cage, will you." He said, struggling to pull the dark slayer's dead weight across the floor. Cordelia struggled to her feet and did ask he asked. Giles laid Faith out in the cage and quickly closed and locked the door. 

"Angel?" The girl questioned, shock etched on her face as she stared at the pile of dust on the library floor.

"I'm afraid so." The watcher said gravely before tearing his gaze away and rushing to Xander's side.

"Xander?" Cordelia dropped at his side, paling at the sight of his swollen, bloody face.

"Is your car here?" Giles barked. The brunette nodded, confused at the question. "Bring it to the front. I'll bring Xander and meet you there. We've got to get him to the hospital." The watcher explained. Cordelia rushed through the library doors toward the parking lot, while Giles tried to wake Xander. Xander didn't budge and the watcher's brow furrowed in concern. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he strained, pulling Xander toward the exit. He mumbled curses all the way to the parking lot, trying to dismiss the nagging fear that the boy might have suffered a fatal head wound at the hands of the former slayer.

Driving frantically toward the hospital, Cordelia ran a red light, narrowly escaping the crushing impact of a cement truck that swerved to miss them. Giles looked in the rearview mirror at the resulting pile-up in the intersection and berated himself for not suggesting that he drive. The brunette pulled the car to a screeching halt at the emergency entrance and Giles breathed a sigh of relief.

"We need some help out here." The watcher called frantically as he opened the emergency doors. Two orderlies ran to his aid, helping him pull Xander from the backseat of the car.

"Is he going to be okay?" Cordy asked, rushing to Giles' side as she returned from parking the car. The watcher attempted a reassuring smile.

"The doctors are examining him right now. I'm sure we'll know more soon."

"We should call someone. His parents...we should call his parents." The queen said shakily.

"Why don't we sit down?" Giles led the unsteady brunette to a chair in the corner of the waiting room. "I called Xander's house while you were parking the car. No one was home. We can try again later."

* * *

When they had reached Athens, Xena led the group up the large stone steps to a massive door where they entered the Temple of Ares. Gabrielle was glued to the warrior's side, a wave of jealousy hitting her as they entered the temple to face this god who repeatedly attempted to seduce Xena. Buffy and Willow trailed closely behind looking around in wonder at the elaborate interior. The ceiling was covered with intricate, ornate carvings. Weapons of gold adorned the walls, intermingled with luxurious tapestries. Extravagance was the only term to describe this immense room. The slayer and hacker, entranced by their surroundings, crashed into the warrior and bard who had come to a halt in front of them. The collision brought Buffy and Willow's attention back to the warrior who assumed a defensive stance. 

"Ares?" Xena called, scanning the room. "I know you can hear me. Show yourself." The slayer and hacker stood spellbound as the God of War materialized before them. To Gabrielle and Xena, the sight of the god was nothing new. Buffy and Willow, however, stared at Ares, taking in the sight of the warrior god for the first time. He wore black leather pants and boots with a thick, black leather vest that was trimmed in silver. His vest stood open midway down his chest and a thick black mat of chest hair protruded through the gap. His hair, also dark, added to the ensemble. It lay around his shoulders in what could only be described as slick curls, a greasy appearance that Buffy reasoned either indicated a serious lack of hygiene or an affinity for copious amounts of hair gel. He wore a beard and mustache with freakish sideburns that added to the ick factor. His eyes were chillingly dark, almost black, and blazed with inherent cockiness. Willow gaped at the god, certain that she could feel evil radiating from his aura. Her logical side argued that she didn't have the power to _feel_ auras, but her instincts trumpeted their warning all the same. Buffy's thought processes kept coming back to one thing _'Eeewww'_. The slayer, who normally had a healthy appreciation for a leather-clad body, casually made a mental list of adjectives to describe Ares. Skanky, sleazy, slimy, and shudder-worthy topped her list. As the god swaggered up to Xena and began to speak, Buffy added another item: _totally_ narcissistic.

"Xena..." Ares grinned wickedly at the warrior. His eyes lit up with amusement as he slowly raked them over her body as if he was mentally undressing her. "I heard a rumor that you were no longer with us...something about Kronos. I'm glad to see that it was just a rumor."

"Actually, that's why I'm here." The warrior began. "What you heard was true. Kronos sent Gabrielle and I to the future. Our friends here helped us get back." Xena glanced at Buffy and Willow before continuing. "They don't belong to this time. You can send them back."

Ares approached the slayer and hacker then. He walked past Buffy and stopped in front of Willow, sizing her up. Willow gulped, uncomfortable under his gaze, vaguely wondering why he would pass a beauty like Buffy to stare at _her_ with a lustful gleam in his eye. Not that she wished his evil self on her Buffy; she just found it hard to believe that he was looking at her like that. Perhaps he smelled her fear and liked to watch her squirm or maybe he just had a thing for redheads. Whatever the case, he was taking his time seemingly enjoying the view while Buffy gave him a death-glare and struggled to contain the urge to lash out at him.

"What's your name?" The simple phrase coupled with his leering gaze struck Willow as the most obscene thing that she'd ever heard. When he leaned into her intimate space and reached out to touch her face, something in the slayer snapped. Buffy deflected his approaching hand before it reached Willow and followed up by punching him squarely in the jaw.

"Have to say, I didn't see that coming." He said, finally addressing the blonde with an amused smile. "If you wanted my attention...all you had to do was ask." He reached out, intent on touching her honeyed hair, but met with a barrage of blows from a very pissed off slayer. He blocked and parried, enjoying the dance with this gutsy blonde. The rush he felt reminded him of his encounters with the warrior princess.

When Xena stepped between them, bringing the battle to a halt, Ares looked at Buffy in a whole new light. He saw the fierce gleam in the blonde's eyes, the rippling muscles playing beneath the surface of her skin, the boldness in her stance. He saw a warrior before him where a miniscule girl had stood moments before. "I like her, Xena. She's got spunk." A smile spread across his face as he pondered the future of this newcomer to his world.

"Look, Ares, it's no secret that you and Kronos don't get along. He's responsible for them being here. You can set things right. Will you send them back?" Xena asked. The strain on her face made it clear that the warrior didn't want to be asking him for a favor.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Ares looked from the warrior to the slayer. His eyes carried a gleam that was something akin to that of a lottery winner or a proud father looking at his first-born son.

"Because it's the right thing to do." Xena ground out impatiently. "Or maybe just to get back at Kronos. I _know_ you'd enjoy that."

"Xena, Xena, Xena. What kind of fool do you think I am?" Ares asked. The warrior opened her mouth to answer the irresistible question, but was cut off as the god continued. "I think she's as fine a warrior as you. Two of you? It's like a dream. I would never send her away. Think of the possibilities with the three of us ruling my kingdom..." Buffy laughed out loud at his comment. Xena growled in frustration, turning away from him.

"This is useless. Come on. Let's go." The warrior muttered, leading the bard, slayer and hacker out of the temple, with Ares' depraved laughter echoing behind them.

* * *

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. Baby Steps

Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Feedback will be appreciated...so when you finish reading, please take a minute to review and let me know what you think.

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**Chapter 8 - Baby Steps**

When they cleared the temple steps and stepped onto the road, Buffy came to a halt and turned to Willow. "Are you okay?" She asked, searching the redhead's face. Willow nodded.

"Sorry about that." Xena's voice was laced with self-recrimination. "I shouldn't have taken you there." Willow stepped up to the warrior, offering a warm smile.

"Hey...you were just trying to help." Xena relaxed and returned the smile.

"We don't need Ares anyway." Gabrielle said. "We'll find another way."

"It'll be dark in an hour or so." The warrior said, looking at the sky. "We could stay at the inn." Gabrielle's face lit up.

"A long, hot bath." The bard paused, smiling dreamily. "A nice dinner...a comfortable bed. I think that's a wonderful idea."

"You had me at _bath_." Buffy chuckled. Willow nodded enthusiastically until a thought occurred to her.

"W-what kind of bath?" The redhead asked sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle clearly didn't follow Willow's train of thought. Buffy flashed the redhead a knowing smile before turning to the bard.

"I think Will's just wondering how many people we might be _sharing_ this bath with."

"Oh. It would just be the four of us." Gabrielle said, offering a reassuring smile. The shy redhead was _not_ comforted by the idea of sharing her bath with the three other women.

The squeaking sound Willow made in reply elicited a chuckle from Buffy, who squeezed the hacker's hand and leaned close to whisper teasingly in the redhead's ear. "When in Rome..." Willow poked Buffy in the ribs, attempting to look stern.

"Now that reminds me of my mom." The redhead whispered back. Buffy eyed her girlfriend curiously.

"What does?"

"Mom always says _'If Bunny Summers jumped off a cliff, does that mean you would?'_" Willow gave her best impression of Sheila Rosenberg. "I think _this_ situation qualifies as one where I'm not supposed to follow you over that cliff, missy." She teased. Buffy laughed.

"What cliff?" The slayer asked innocently. "There's no cliff...just a nice, hot bath. A little soap, a little water..._a few friends_." Buffy smiled brightly. Willow laughed openly at the explanation. "So...she still calls me Bunny, huh?" Buffy asked. Willow rolled her eyes in response.

"Yeah. I've told her like a hundred times that your name is Buffy, but I don't think she'll ever get it right." The blonde chuckled wickedly at her next thought.

"Oh, I can think of a way that she might remember...like if she caught us making with the _smoochies_ on her couch." Willow blushed at the idea.

"Maybe...but I don't think a heart attack is the best way to jog her memory."

"You're probably right."

* * *

"Hello. I'm Dr. Thornton. Are you Mr. Harris?" The doctor asked, extending his hand to Giles. 

"Uh, no." The watcher replied. "Rupert Giles. I'm the librarian at the high school and a friend of the family. I haven't been able to reach his parents yet. How is Xander?" Giles asked, shaking the doctor's hand.

"As well as can be expected. Xander has multiple contusions, a broken nose and a pretty severe concussion. How did this happen?" The doctor asked.

"I don't rightly know. He wandered into the library and collapsed. I just assumed he was attacked near the school. Is he going to be all right?"

"It might take some time...but I believe he'll make a full recovery." The doctor assured them. Cordelia let out the breath that she'd been holding.

"Can we see him?" The brunette asked anxiously.

"He's still unconscious...but I don't see any harm in him having visitors. He's in room 218. Just keep in mind...visiting hours end at 10:00."

"Thank you." Cordelia offered a grateful smile.

"Yes, thank you, Doctor." Giles chimed in.

* * *

After renting two rooms and making arrangements to use the bath at the inn, the two couples parted in the hallway to get settled into their rooms. Gabrielle put their bag on the side table, then began helping the warrior out of her armor. The bard, having removed Xena's armor countless times before, wondered at her sudden nervousness. Everything was different this time. What had once been a simple helpful gesture now seemed much more intimate. Gabrielle felt uncharacteristically clumsy and shy. 

Curious blue eyes followed the bard's movements, which only seemed to make her more inept as she fumbled with the clasps of Xena's breastplate. An amused smile lit the warrior's face as she noted Gabrielle's awkwardness. Xena relished the idea that, for once, the bard might be flustered. Too often in the past, it was Gabrielle who held all the cards and enjoyed making the warrior squirm.

Chuckling nervously, the bard avoided Xena's gaze and tried to concentrate on the task at hand. By the time she had removed the last of the armor, her face was flushed and her heartbeat erratic. She turned her back to Xena and tried to compose herself. The smile died on the warrior's lips and she moved to reassure the shaken bard. "Are you okay, Gabrielle?" Xena asked, lifting the bard's chin so that she could look into her eyes.

"Uh huh." Gabrielle responded, quickly moving away from the warrior to fidget with the contents of their bag on the table. Xena took a step toward her but stopped, deciding to let the matter drop.

"If you're ready...we should get our bath while the room is still available."

"Uh huh." The bard responded, still with her back to the warrior. Xena moved to the door and Gabrielle followed. Stopping at Buffy and Willow's room, the warrior knocked on their door. Giggling could be heard from behind the door and Xena wondered briefly if anyone would answer. Finally, the blonde appeared at the door with a blushing redhead in tow.

"It's our time to use the bath." Xena said. "You two ready?" Buffy smiled and nodded, while Willow gulped and shook her head. A lopsided grin graced the warrior's face as she considered the conflicting responses. "This way." She said, leading the group down the hall.

"It'll be completely painless, I promise." Buffy said, pulling the reluctant redhead down the hallway.

"We can get in first and turn our backs." Xena offered, hoping to make it easier for Willow. "You won't even know we're there."

"See." Buffy nudged the hacker, then turned to tease the warrior. "You're such a gentleman, Xena." Gabrielle laughed. Willow elbowed Buffy in the warrior's defense.

"Maybe it's not Xena I'm worried about." She said playfully. Xena chuckled at this.

"She's got you there." The warrior said, patting the slayer on the back.

"Are you implying that I'm less than a gentleman...er gentlewoman? That hurts." Buffy pouted unconvincingly. "I'm all with the opening doors, pulling out chairs and, let's not forget, the killing of monsters. Chivalry is my middle name." As if to prove her point, she made a big production of opening the bathroom door and sweeping aside to let them enter in front of her.

"Your middle name is Anne." Willow said seriously. Xena and Gabrielle laughed at the blonde's expense and Buffy dropped her eyes to the floor, looking hurt. The redhead stifled her laughter. "Hey, Buff, you know we were just teasing." She said, approaching the blonde. The slayer laughed wickedly, capturing Willow's waist and pulling her close.

"Gotcha."

"You tricked me!"

"Uh huh." Buffy proudly admitted. "You're a sucker for my pouty face." Willow admitted defeat and happily snuggled into the embrace. Xena and Gabrielle walked to the far end of the room, quickly undressed and climbed into the large pool of water in the center of the room.

"Are you two coming in?" Gabrielle asked. Buffy nodded.

"Show time." She said with a wink, releasing Willow. Much to the redhead's surprise, Buffy casually started undressing. Seeing Willow's deer-in-headlights expression, the blonde offered a compromise. "You turn that way. I'll turn this way. No peeking...slayer's honor." Willow nodded and turned around.

When Buffy entered the water, she chanced a glance at the floor near Willow and saw the only discarded items in evidence were shoes and socks. The warrior noticed the same thing and smiled. "Come on and get in." She coaxed. "We don't bite..._well_, except for Gabrielle. But I'll keep her under control."

"Xena!" The bard cried, slapping the warrior's arm.

"Well, you did bite her once already, Gabrielle." The warrior teased. Willow chuckled and finally started to relax. Gabrielle glared briefly at Xena in retribution for her remarks, but all was well when Willow finally slid into her corner of the large bathing pool. The room was dimly lit by a handful of candles that sat on the floor near the wall and the redhead was relieved when she realized that she couldn't see under the water and assumed that no one else could either. Civilized bathing commenced for a few minutes until a knock at the door prompted the redhead to try to hide by drowning herself.

The innkeeper's wife came and went quickly, dropping fresh towels inside the door and retrieving their dirty clothes. When she was gone and Willow still hadn't resurfaced, Buffy got worried and moved to pull her up. Babbling ensued when the redhead found herself oh so close to naked Buffy while the warrior and bard watched concernedly. Buffy tried to snap her out of it, but Willow was on a roll, incoherent phrases spilling from her mouth, until as a pleasant last resort the blonde covered her lips with a kiss. Short but sweet, it left Willow stunned and Buffy took the opportunity to move back to her neutral corner.

When the whole stressful bathing event was over, Willow lingered while the others left the room. Only after stepping out of the pool did she realize that her clothes were missing. She frowned momentarily, shifting uncertainly from foot to foot, before wrapping the towel tightly around herself and sneaking down the hallway to the room that she and Buffy shared.

* * *

Giles led Cordelia to Xander's assigned room. Once inside, the brunette took one look at her ex-boyfriend's battered face and broke down. Giles offered what comfort he could, putting an arm around the girl. "You heard the doctor. He'll pull through. I'm sure Xander will be back to his old self within a few days." Cordelia nodded and wiped at her tears, trying to compose herself. "Did you want me to take you home?" The watcher offered. Cordy shook her head. 

"I think I'll sit with him for a while."

"I hate to go...but I have to check on Oz and do something about Faith before she wakes up." Cordelia nodded.

"You can take the car if you want. I can get a ride home." She offered.

"No, that's all right. I'll just take a taxi." The watcher replied. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you, Giles." Cordelia smiled sincerely.

"All right then. I'll check in later." The watcher said before turning to leave. Cordelia sat down in a chair next to the bed and tentatively reached out to take Xander's hand.

"You're always trying to be a hero." She said softly, staring down at his hand in hers. "Only a crazy person would take on Faith, Xander. Look what she did to you." Cordy sighed sadly and rested her head on their joined hands.

* * *

"There you are. I thought maybe you got lost on your way back." Buffy teased when the redhead stepped into the room.

"No. But someone stole my clothes." Willow pouted. Buffy chuckled.

"Don't look at me. It was the innkeeper's wife. She took them to be washed."

"Well...what am I supposed to wear?" Willow whimpered.

"Nothing." The redhead shot her a look of pure shock and Buffy rushed to explain. "Oh, I mean...nothing right now...until we get our clothes back...I mean...the towels, of course. That's all we've got." The more the blonde babbled, the wider Willow's smile grew. "What's so funny?" Buffy asked finally.

"You're just really cute when you babble, that's all."

Buffy grinned mischievously. "Cute enough to kiss?"

Willow nodded. "May-be."

Buffy chuckled as she closed the distance between them. "I'll take that as a yes." She whispered as she brought her lips to Willow's.

****

* * *

Continued in Chapter 9

Author's Note: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and feedback you've offered. This will be my last update for a few days. I'm going out of town for the Labor Day Weekend. I will hopefully post an update again on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. Until then...I hope you enjoy this chapter. Write to me and let me know what you think!


	9. Closer

Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. Life has been pretty harsh since the holiday. I'm trying to get back into my normal routine now and hope to have future updates posted more regularly. Thanks for reading the story.

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**Chapter 9 - Closer**

"Mmmm." A knock at the door prompted Buffy to end the kiss, albeit reluctantly.

"We should probably get that, huh?" Willow said dazedly.

"Don't wanna." Buffy said, sticking out her lower lip. Willow grinned at the pouting blonde as Buffy turned toward the door. Holding her towel securely around her, the slayer opened the door a crack to see who it was. "Xena." She stepped back to let the warrior enter the room.

"I just wanted to bring you these." Xena said, handing a pile of clothes to Buffy.

"These aren't ours." The slayer said, eyeing the clothes. "Well, not all of them." She added, recognizing her leather pants in the stack.

"They don't wash the leather with the rest. They treated your pants. But the rest of your stuff will take a while to dry." Xena explained. "I borrowed some things for you to wear in the meantime. Get dressed...we'll meet you downstairs for dinner."

"I guess that means this is for you..." Buffy said, handing Willow the dress from the pile of clothes after Xena had left the room.

"Then this must be yours." The redhead pointed out, smiling as she picked up the crop top. It was similar in style to the green top that Gabrielle wore, but it was blue and looked to provide little more coverage than a skimpy bra.

"Great." Buffy chuckled sarcastically as she took the offered item. They retired to their respective corners and dressed with their backs to each other. When Buffy finished, she turned to Willow who was working on the laces at the front of the dress. "Wow."

"I look stupid, don't I?" The redhead paused looking down self-consciously, the laces at her chest still untied.

"No! Are you crazy?" Buffy asked incredulously, crossing the room to stand in front of her girlfriend. "You're gorgeous." Willow blushed under the blonde's appraisal. "You always look amazing, but this...this little number is _particularly_ fetching." The hacker's protest died on her lips as she read the desire in Buffy's eyes. The blonde toyed with the laces on the front of Willow's dress. When her fingers brushed the exposed flesh at the neckline, the redhead nearly jumped out of her skin.

"You, uh, you look...that is, blue is a good color for you." Willow stammered, her eyes slowly scanning the slayer's scantily-clad chest and exposed midriff. When the hacker's gaze finally traveled back up to Buffy's face several seconds later, she knew she'd been caught.

"So...you like?" Buffy asked seductively, resting her hands on Willow's hips and pulling the blushing redhead toward her. The hacker's enthusiastic nod made Buffy chuckle.

"You, Buffy Summers, are a big tease." Willow said with an impish grin.

"Not true." The slayer emphasized her case with a lingering kiss. "Have I ever refused you anything?" Buffy asked innocently. A gulp was the hacker's only response.

* * *

Giles stalked down the halls of Sunnydale High toward the library in a daze, mentally formulating a plan for dealing with Faith. He would have to call the Watcher's Council and turn her over to them, he decided. He had no other choice. Until they arrived, he would likely have to stand guard with the tranquilizer rifle at the ready.

The watcher pushed open the library doors, eyes darting in the direction of the book cage. "Damn!" Giles strode toward the cage, searching for any sign of the dark slayer, who at first glance appeared to be absent. He came to a stop in front of the bars as his initial fear was confirmed. The cage door was still in tact, but Faith was no longer inside. A quick glance up at the east wall of the cell removed all doubt as to how the slayer had escaped. The one small window inside the cage stood open. Muttering a few choice words under his breath about slayers' recovery abilities, he turned to check on Oz who was only now beginning to stir on the library floor. "Are you all right, Oz?"

"Not sure." The boy replied, trying to focus in spite of the pounding in his skull. "What happened?" He asked, mustering all of his strength to push up into a sitting position.

"Faith..._happened_." Giles replied distractedly. "You might recall...she killed Angel and had her sights set on me. You and Xander tried to stop her and she attacked you. Sorry about...." The watcher gestured at Oz's position on the floor and the tranquilizer dart that had not long ago been embedded in the boy's back. "I assure you it was unintentional."

Oz nodded, taking the apology in stride. "Where is everybody?" He asked, scanning the library. With a frustrated sigh, the watcher began to pace, only pausing briefly to remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. It was a clear sign to Oz that whatever had happened while he was knocked out was not good. The boy finally scrambled to his feet and pushed himself into a chair at the nearest table, listening to Giles relay the events of the past several hours.

"We have to get out of here." The watcher said as he concluded his brief explanation. "Faith could come back at any moment." With that he scooped up Willow's laptop and a small stack of spell books from behind the desk and approached the boy. "Can you walk?" Oz nodded and climbed to his feet, slow but steady. "Let's go." Giles said, leading the way out of the school.

"My place." The watcher decided, once they were in his car. "We'll be safe there...I hope."

The short drive was made in silence and both of them relaxed slightly when they entered Giles' home. Oz collapsed on the couch, still recovering from the effects of the tranquilizer. The watcher hurried around the room gathering spell ingredients and muttering incantations. Within half an hour, he had erected magical barriers around the house to warn them of any unexpected visitors and to keep out most threats, though he wasn't certain that rouge slayers would fall into that category.

"What now?" Oz asked, looking up at Giles.

"Now, I have to find Buffy...somehow. She is our only hope, I'm afraid."

"How?"

"The spell they cast...I suspect there may be some clue on Willow's computer, but I haven't been able to access it." Giles admitted, fumbling with his glasses in frustration. "Xander tried to guess the password as well, but thus far we've both failed. You know Willow better than I do and you seem to have a knack for working with those _dreadful_ machines. Will you give it a try?" The watcher looked at the boy expectantly.

Oz reached for the laptop on the coffee table. "Yeah. Sure."

"Well then, perhaps I should call and check on Xander." Giles decided.

"Hello, Cordelia." The watcher made a face as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Um, sorry to be calling so late. I was hoping there might be some news about Xander's condition."

"No, nothing yet." She replied, fatigue evident in her voice. "He's still not awake."

"It is quarter past midnight. Are you still at the hospital?"

"The night nurse let me stay. They still haven't been able to reach Xander's parents. I didn't want him to be alone, in case he wakes up."

"I'm sure he would be happy to know you are there." Giles assured her. "I am at home. Will you let me know if there is any change?"

"Sure."

"Oh and, Cordelia...you should be aware that Faith is no longer in my custody. It appears that she woke while we were at the hospital and effected an escape before I returned to the library."

"Great." Cordy said flatly. "Do you think she will come after Xander?"

"I don't rightly know...It would be wise to use caution. However, I suspect that her primary target will likely be me. She seemed rather determined to stop me from finding Buffy." The watcher said thoughtfully. "Try not to worry, but do be careful."

* * *

Considering both Gabrielle and Willow's low tolerance for alcohol, Xena decided to forego the ale and instead ordered water with their meal. The dinner conversation revolved around new ideas for getting Buffy and Willow back to Sunnydale. After some discussion, the warrior decided that their best hope was to visit the Temple of the Fates and ask for their help. With that decided and the meal finished, Xena excused herself to go to the stable to check on Argo. As she stood up, she nudged the slayer's shoulder and jerked her head toward the door in a not-so-subtle gesture.

"I take it you want me to join you?" Buffy said with an amused smirk, rising from her chair with an eyebrow raised at the warrior's odd behavior. Xena gave a slight nod and moved toward the door, glancing back to see that the blonde was following. "So, you gonna tell me what's up?" Buffy asked, eyeing the warrior curiously as they had stepped out of the inn and into the night.

"I just wanted to talk to you...about Gabrielle." Xena muttered, glancing at the slayer apprehensively.

Buffy tilted her head, looking up at the warrior with a curious expression. "What about her?" Xena shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to broach the subject. As if a light bulb went on, Buffy's quizzical look turned into a knowing smile. "Is this about what I think it's about? Cause if this is about...I gotta tell ya, I have _zero_ experience."

A blush rose on the warrior's cheeks and she aimed a death-glare at the blonde who was smiling amusedly at her. Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Thanks for your help." Xena said sarcastically, turning her back to the slayer.

"I'm sorry." Buffy said, working her face into a more serious expression. "I guess I'm just a little surprised. I mean...you've had relationships before, haven't you?"

"Not like this." Xena said, turning to meet the blonde's gaze. Buffy registered the meaning, finally starting to understand the warrior's distress. "My _relationships_ in the past weren't exactly based on love." Xena said bluntly.

"Then...this is a good thing." Buffy said firmly. "You love her. She loves you. So...how is this _not_ a good thing?"

"It's complicated."

Buffy shook her head. "Doesn't have to be."

"Gabrielle is so young..."

"Trust me, she's not _that_ young." The blonde said suggestively. Xena locked piercing blue eyes onto the amused hazel of her friend. Buffy wavered slightly, but didn't back down. "Give the girl some credit. She's old enough to know what she wants...and what she wants is _you_." She added with a teasing grin.

"But--"

"I _really_ don't think you have anything to worry about." Buffy interjected.

Xena looked unconvinced. "How about you sleep with me tonight?" The warrior suggested. "Gabrielle can sleep with Willow."

Buffy chuckled wickedly. "That's a really nice offer, but...I'm spoken for." She replied with a playful wink.

Xena frowned at the slayer, though a spark of amusement lit her eyes. "You _know_ that's not what I meant."

"Sorry...my bad." Buffy offered an apologetic smile. "Giles says I have a _'tendency toward inappropriate humor.'_"

"It's all right." The warrior smiled, then looked up at the blonde as a thought occurred to her. "How is it that you're so calm about all of this?"

"I'm not really. _Trust_ me." Buffy said soberly as she began to pace restlessly in front of the warrior. "But...I realize now that I wasted like three years being afraid, hiding from this. For a slayer, three years is pretty much a lifetime. And I think I've learned my lesson about avoiding my feelings. Willow is the absolute best thing in my life and I just wanna hold on to her and never let go."

"I know what you mean." Xena said thoughtfully, reaching out to lay a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Thanks."

* * *

"Here." Oz said bitterly, shoving the laptop across the coffee table toward the watcher.

"What?" Giles' looked questioningly at the werewolf, reaching out to pick up the machine. "How? Xander and I tried every conceivable password." The watcher studied the boy in awe. Oz stalked across the room angrily. "What's the matter? This is good news. This contraption could tell us what we need to know." Giles' brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze following the werewolf as he paced.

"Nothing." Oz replied absently. "Yeah, great news. If there's nothing else, I'm gonna go."

"Of course. You should go home and get some rest." Giles said, baffled by the abrupt change in the boy's mood. Oz turned and walked toward the door. "Oh, um, Oz, what is the password...in case I need it again?"

The teen paused in the doorway with his back to the watcher, gripping the door handle and drawing in a deep breath. In a distant voice he answered, "Buffy. The password's Buffy."

* * *

"Hey." Buffy called, entering her room to find Willow and Gabrielle stretched out on the bed, deep in conversation. The bard stopped talking mid-sentence and both girls fell silent. Buffy smiled, immediately suspecting that they'd been talking about her and Xena while they were outside. "I leave you alone for ten minutes and you're already in bed with someone else?" Willow giggled. Buffy dropped a kiss on the redhead's lips before sitting down beside her.

"Well...I guess I'll leave you two alone." Gabrielle chuckled nervously as she stood up. The bard looked at the door, but couldn't quite make a move toward it. Instead, she cast a distressed glance at Willow that clearly said 'help me'. The hacker went to her side and whispered in her ear.

"Hey...it'll be okay." Gabrielle nodded and offered a weak smile before making her way to the door and finally saying goodnight.

"You wanna tell me what you two were talking about?" Buffy asked with a playful smile, pulling the redhead closer to the bed.

"What about you and Xena? She practically dragged you out of the inn." Willow asked with a mischievous grin, standing between the slayer's legs, looking down into smiling hazel eyes.

"Just girl-talk. Or maybe warrior-slayer girl-talk? If there is such a thing." Buffy tilted her head to the side considering the thought. "So, what juicy gossip did I miss?" She asked, drinking in the sight of the beautiful green eyes before her.

"Oh...just sidekick talk." Willow said with an impish grin, evading the question.

"Have I told you lately how adorable you are?" Buffy asked, tracing soft circles on the back of the redhead's hand.

"You...might have mentioned that...before dinner." The hacker said nervously, her voice faltering.

"Did I also happen to mention that I love you?" Buffy asked, reclining on the bed to rest on her elbows. "Cause I do."

"I love you too." Willow favored the blonde with a sweet Willowy smile, leaning over her on the bed to steal a kiss.

* * *

Gabrielle stepped into her room to find Xena sitting at the foot of the bed seemingly lost in thought. "Hi." The bard said, turning back to close the door. The warrior got up to greet her, laying a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. The jittery bard jumped at the unexpected touch and Xena retracted her hand and took a step back, a wounded look in her eyes.

"Are you...afraid of me, Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"No! Of course not, Xena." The bard rushed to answer, mentally kicking herself for her reaction as she moved toward the warrior. Xena didn't argue, but looked down at the floor uncertainly. "I love you." Gabrielle whispered, tentatively reaching up to touch the warrior's face.

"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena questioned, finally meeting the bard's gaze.

"Nothing's wrong." She replied, her pulse racing as thoughtful blue eyes studied her tenderly. Gabrielle retreated from the warrior, seeking sanctuary at the bedside table where she fumbled for her hairbrush. Brushing her hair served as a lame excuse for her withdrawal; she knew it and Xena knew it.

The warrior stood for a moment looking at her back, disheartened at the distance between them. Gabrielle mindlessly ran the brush through her strawberry-blonde locks over and over again, silently berating herself for being such a pitiful coward. With a dejected sigh, Xena made her way to the bed, quickly undressing down to her sleeping shift, and crawled under the covers turning her back to the bard.

When Gabrielle finally worked up the courage, she took a deep breath and discarded the brush before turning toward the warrior. Seeing that Xena had already settled in bed, the bard took pause, wondering just how long she had been standing there lost in her thoughts. After quickly dressing in her nightgown, Gabrielle sat down on the bed, staring at the warrior's back. "Xena?"

It was clear by the brunette's breathing that she wasn't asleep, but she offered no reply and didn't stir. "I'm sorry, Xena." She whispered, her voice wavering as the words spilled out.

Hearing the ache in Gabrielle's voice, the warrior quickly turned to comfort her. "Shhh...it's okay." Xena soothed, reaching up to wipe away a single tear that was gliding down the bard's cheek. "Don't cry, Gabrielle."

The warrior looked up at her with eyes filled with love and concern and the bard did the only thing that she could do. Reaching out with hands and lips, she pushed the stunned brunette back onto the mattress, bombarding the warrior's senses as she deepened the kiss.

And Xena did the only thing that she could do. She welcomed the bard with open arms and eager lips, only abandoning the kiss when she was hanging by the last thread of her sanity. Desire tangled with doubt in the sapphire eyes as Gabrielle took a ragged breath and grasped for answers to the unspoken questions in the warrior's gaze.

Driven by her own yearning, the bard opted for the _'actions speak louder than words'_ approach, bringing her body fully down onto Xena's again, finding her raison d'être in the warrior's exquisite lips. Gabrielle shifted to free a hand and timid fingers began to roam as if they had a mind of their own, lingering on Xena's taught stomach before drifting upward.

The warrior tensed involuntarily at the pure electric shock that coursed through her body and called on her last bit of resolve to break the kiss. "Gabrielle..." What was meant as a warning sounded more like a plea as Xena strained to speak rationally through the haze of desire. "We've got to slow down." The warrior managed to whisper, reaching out to still the bard's shaking hand with her own.

Gabrielle offered no reply, struck mute by her own sudden aching need. "We don't have to do this...don't have to rush." Xena assured her, brushing a few tendrils of reddish-blonde hair from the bard's flushed face. "I want to wait until you're ready."

Gabrielle laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "You make me so crazy, Xena, that I may never be _ready_."

"That makes two of us." The warrior replied with a lopsided grin. "So, I'll settle for waiting until you're sure."

"I'm sure." Gabrielle said without hesitation, boldly stealing a quick kiss. Seeing the question lingering in the soft blue eyes, the bard wrapped her arms around the warrior, vanquishing the last bit of space between their bodies. "I need you, Xena." She whispered, punctuating the words with tender kisses to the sensitive flesh of the warrior's neck.

****

* * *

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. Hearts Afire

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Be warned...it's a bit racier than previous chapters. I think it's dancing on the line between PG-13 and R, but hopefully staying on the PG-13 side. Feedback will be appreciated...so when you finish reading, please take a second to review and let me know what you think.  
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**Chapter 10 - Hearts Afire **

"Gabrielle..." She whispered the bard's name as if it were a prayer. Xena clung to the younger woman, all of the warrior's defenses reduced to a pile of rubble.

Guided by instinct alone, Gabrielle found Xena's lips with her own and kissed the brunette with an urgency borne purely of love, further disarming the warrior who had nothing in her vast experience to compare this to. Xena returned the kiss, alternately stroking the bard's hair and face, unable to do more as she found herself regressing to an awkward teenage girl - something she had never truly been. The warrior's breath caught in her throat when Gabrielle's hand brushed against her side, moving steadily toward her breast leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.

The bard ended the kiss, looking down into the smoky blue eyes of the woman beneath her as if seeking permission to go on. Xena smiled an oddly shy smile for the warrior. She lifted Gabrielle's hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss in the palm, before guiding it back to her own breast signaling her approval. The younger woman blushed as she felt an unfamiliar ache build inside her, but the flicker of desire in Xena's eyes was all the encouragement she needed.

Gabrielle rejoined their mouths all the while tugging at the warrior's sleeping shift, longing to feel the satin skin beneath. Xena shifted to allow the bard access and breathed a soft moan into Gabrielle's mouth as a warm hand slipped under the garment and moved across her bare stomach in a tender caress. Further exploration by the bard left the warrior breathless and unable to maintain the kiss. With shaking but persistent hands, Gabrielle grasped the cloth and removed it with only minimal fumbling in the process.

Any boldness she had felt skittered away as the bard took in the sight before her. Feeling decidedly cowardly, she lay motionless, looking pleadingly into the warrior's eyes. Xena offered a comforting smile and turned toward Gabrielle, guiding the strawberry-blonde down onto her back on the mattress. The bard smiled sheepishly, her eyes expressing relief that she was no longer leading.

As intent green eyes dared to scan the beauty above her and desire lit Gabrielle's features, Xena's heart nearly stopped. She leaned in, placing a brief kiss on the bard's lips before capturing her bottom lip between her own, running her tongue along the expanse of silky pink flesh. Gabrielle whimpered, clutching at the warrior's back, and nearly fainted when a strong hand caressed her thigh, coming to a rest at the curve of her hip.

Xena paused at the hem of the nightgown, stopping her loving assault on the bard's lips to meet her gaze with the question. Unable to speak beyond the lump of desire in her throat, Gabrielle simply nodded in reply, reaching for the warrior's hand to help her remove the last barrier between them. Both women were lost in the sensation when skin finally met skin and an intense heat burned between them in spite of the chill in the air around them.

Small hands traveled the expanse of the warrior's back, kneading the muscles that played beneath the skin. Xena murmured words of love as she trailed kisses from the bard's shoulder to the pulse point of her throat, bringing a hand between their bodies to Gabrielle's breast. The bard's breath hitched in her throat at the contact and a pleased smile teased the corners of the warrior's mouth as the strawberry blonde moved against her. Gabrielle bit her lower lip, trying to suppress a plea. Despite her effort, a somewhat high-pitched moan escaped, broadcasting her need better than any words could have.

* * *

"You cold?" Buffy asked the shivering redhead.

"A little."

"Get up." The blonde said, climbing to her feet.

"Huh?"

"Come on. Up." Buffy pulled Willow off the bed and folded back the covers. "Now, get in." She smiled at the confused redhead. "Under the covers. It'll be warmer." Willow nodded her understanding and kicked off her shoes before climbing into the bed.

"Mind if I join you?" Buffy asked as the redhead snuggled down under the blankets with a contented smile.

Willow nodded her approval, her green eyes sparkling as she looked up at the blonde. "I'd mind if you didn't. I've been looking forward to this all day." Buffy smiled a mischievous smile, raising an eyebrow at the comment. "Oh, I didn't mean...I meant the cuddles...I've been looking forward to, um, cuddles...all day."

Buffy chuckled, kicking off her shoes and climbing into bed as the redhead babbled. The slayer silenced her with a soft kiss. "I knew what you meant, Will." She smiled adoringly at her blushing girlfriend, pulling the covers up over them and settling back against the pillows. Willow looked at her expectantly and Buffy smiled, opening her arms and inviting the hacker to settle in at her side. "Better?"

"Uh huh." Willow said contentedly. "You?"

"Much." Buffy agreed, pulling the redhead closer.

After a moment, Willow looked up at her girlfriend. The look in her eyes told Buffy that something was on her mind. "What's up?"

"Oh, I was just thinking...Gabrielle seemed kinda upset when she left. Do you think she'll be okay?" The hacker asked thoughtfully.

As if on cue, distinctive sounds from the room next door carried through the wall and the redhead's eyes grew three sizes.

Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "They, uh, _sound_ like they're doing _just fine_."

"Buffy!" Willow gasped in shock.

"What?" She asked, smiling innocently at the embarrassed hacker. Willow pulled the covers up over her head and buried her face in Buffy's shoulder. "Hey, what are you doing under there?" Buffy teased, trying to lift the blankets to catch a peek at the blushing redhead.

Willow flung back the covers with her mouth hanging open, too speechless to even form the words to deny her girlfriend's implication. "God, you're beautiful." Buffy blurted out; all traces of humor gone from her voice as her hazel eyes worked at memorizing Willow's face.

The emotional roller coaster seemed to grind to a halt for the hacker, leaving her heart stuck on pure love. "Aww, Buffy." Willow reached out to take her girlfriend's hand. "You're so sweet to me. I...I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sadness flashed in the green eyes at the thought of losing Buffy and the slayer lifted Willow's chin forcing her to look at her. "Hey...you're never going to have to find out. I promise. I'm not going anywhere." Willow offered a watery smile and Buffy continued, "I have everything to live for now...I've got you." Leaning forward, she kissed the tip of Willow's nose. On impulse, the hacker tilted her head to capture Buffy's lips. The blonde smiled into the kiss, pleasantly surprised at the turn of events.

Pulling away to look at her girlfriend, Willow wore an impish grin. "Are you laughing at me?" She asked, playfully pushing the slayer back onto the mattress. Buffy shook her head, but couldn't help chuckling at the redhead's 'tough-girl' display. "You shouldn't laugh at me...." Willow whispered the warning in the blonde's ear and the slayer stopped laughing when every nerve ending in her body jumped to attention as Willow's warm breath danced across her skin.

Buffy encircled the hacker's waist and pulled her down on top of her. "You...are driving me crazy." She whispered into the hacker's ear, giving her a taste of her own medicine. For a moment Willow thought she might pass out as her pulse began to race, but Buffy released her hold on the redhead and relaxed back into the mattress giving the hacker some space.

"Sorry." Willow said with a sheepish smile, shifting her weight off of the blonde to lay down beside her.

Buffy smiled an easy smile, turning onto her side to face her girlfriend. "Nothing to be sorry for." She said cheerily, leaning in for a kiss and taking Willow's breath away in the process. Both girls soon lost themselves in each other's lips and hands began to roam of their own accord.

Several minutes later, it was Buffy who ended the kiss, trying to catch her breath after Willow's wandering hand brushed against her breast. For her part, Willow seemed utterly shocked to discover what her hand had been doing. The hacker rushed to apologize, but Buffy put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "S'okay. I just wasn't expecting..." The slayer explained breathlessly, then offered a lopsided grin. "_So_ not complaining."

As if to prove her point, Buffy brought their lips together again, pulling Willow into her arms as she nipped at the hacker's lower lip. Willow parted her lips, inviting entrance, and their tongues met somewhere in the middle. As the kiss deepened, countless minutes passed, each driving the other to the brink of insanity and neither wanting to stop any time soon. It was Willow this time who finally pulled away with a start, gasping for air when Buffy shifted and a leather-clad knee accidentally landed in a particularly sensitive place.

Buffy's brow furrowed in concern when the hacker nearly jumped off the bed at the contact. "God, Will. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No...not hurt." Willow squeaked out.

"Oh." The blonde looked confused for a second until the meaning dawned on her. "_Oh!_ Will...I'm so sorry. Not part of the plan." Buffy said, dropping onto her back on the mattress again.

"Plan?" The redhead asked in a high-pitched voice, glancing nervously at her girlfriend.

Buffy smiled. "Relax, Will. I just meant...we should take things slow." She said, reaching up to run her fingers through silky auburn hair. "Tonight I thought we could just cuddle...and maybe kiss. Cause...how could I resist kissing these lips?" She smiled, running her index finger along the curve of the lips in question.

The hacker's response conveyed both nervousness and relief. "Oh! Yeah...slow is..." Willow breathed. "Slow is good." Her eyes lingered on Buffy's mouth as she spoke and her expression changed, giving away the longing she felt.

"Are you _disappointed_?" Buffy asked, trying to define the look on the redhead's face.

"Wha--?" Willow snapped out of her daze, meeting the blonde's eyes. "N-no. I was just hoping..." Willow trailed off as her gaze fell again to her girlfriend's lips.

Buffy smiled. "For another kiss?" She asked, finishing the hacker's sentence.

Willow gave an enthusiastic nod. "Uh huh. Kissing is good."

Buffy's eyes sparkled adoringly. "You don't even need to ask. Come here." A smile spread across the redhead's face as she moved into the waiting arms and met the enticing lips.

* * *

"Gabrielle?" Xena froze, all color draining from her face when she saw tears in the vulnerable green eyes. "Did I hurt you? Did I do something wrong?" Fear gripped her heart as she wrapped the bard in a tender embrace.

"No, Xena." Gabrielle smiled, reaching up to touch the warrior's cheek. "You're wonderful...very gentle. I'm just...happy. I've never been so happy. I love you, Xena."

"I love you too, Gabrielle." The warrior whispered, clinging desperately to the bard as tears of relief spilled from soft blue eyes. "If I'd hurt you--"

"You didn't." Gabrielle insisted, pulling back to look into Xena's eyes. "No one has ever cared for me the way you do." The bard wiped a stray tear from the warrior's cheek and softly pressed her lips to Xena's. Desire flared between them again and Gabrielle pulled the warrior into her arms, driven by a need to touch and love the woman in front of her, all previous shyness forgotten.

Willing herself to relax, Xena shut her eyes, fighting her fear behind closed doors. This would prove to be the hardest part for the warrior - relinquishing control and accepting Gabrielle's love. For years, the warrior had wielded her sexuality like any other weapon in her arsenal and none could resist her charms. It was a game of power, control and manipulation that Xena always won...never feeling, never loving, never giving her heart to anyone.

The bard seemed to sense the warrior's internal struggle. "Xena?" She brushed her fingers across her lover's cheek. Stormy gray-blue eyes opened to meet her gaze. Gabrielle's heart ached at the vulnerability there. "Are you okay?" Xena nodded and tried to put on a small smile. "Can I...touch you?" The warrior nodded again.

The bard tentatively reached out, gliding her hand along Xena's arm up to her shoulder. Bringing her lips to Xena's throat, Gabrielle placed whisper-soft kisses along the warrior's collarbone while her hand rested over her lover's heart. The battle raged on inside the warrior. The bard paused. With a note of sadness, she said, "We don't have to. I just wanted to...show you...I love you, Xena."

The hurt green eyes pulled Xena from her musings. "I know, Gabrielle. I'm sorry for being distant." Her arms encircled the bard. "I want you."

Gabrielle captured Xena's lips, kissing her urgently, and the warrior felt herself being swept away. When the bard's hand found her breast, Xena relinquished control to her lover. Gabrielle noticed the change instantly, as the warrior seemed to tremble beneath her touch. One of Xena's hands raked through her reddish-blonde hair while the other tugged at her waist, pulling the bard closer.

Recognizing the gift that was being offered, Gabrielle didn't hesitate, cherishing every moment - kissing, holding and touching the warrior. The love in the bard's eyes intensified each caress driving Xena to the brink of insanity before she reached her peak and tumbled over the edge melting in her lover's arms.

Her breath coming in gasps, Xena fought to speak. "Gabrielle..."

The bard rained tender kisses on the warrior's face. "You don't have to say anything, Xena."

"I do." The warrior insisted, capturing the bard's hand and bringing it to her heart. "I love you."

Gabrielle fought back tears again as her heart swelled with emotion. "I love you, Xena."

****

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Continued in Chapter 11


	11. A Date With Fate

Author's Note: I want to take a moment to thank all of my loyal readers...you know who you are. Thank you for all of the great reviews. I have a new chapter for you. I hope you enjoy. Feedback nourishes the bard...so when you finish reading, please take a moment to review and let me know what you think.

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* * *

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**Chapter 11- A Date With Fate**

The warrior and bard settled in each other's arms, savoring the intimacy in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Xena smiled as Gabrielle snuggled into her side, draping one leg over hers and wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. The bard placed a kiss on the warrior's shoulder, then paused to gaze up into tranquil blue eyes. 

"Are you happy, Xena?" Gabrielle asked, favoring her lover with a sweet smile.

"More than happy." Xena said, caressing the bard's cheek. "What about you?"

Gabrielle smiled a blissful smile. "I had no idea that lovemaking was so wonderful. Why didn't you tell me, Xena?"

The warrior returned the smile and her eyes locked onto the curious green of her lover's. "I didn't know."

The bard opened her mouth to question her further, but closed it promptly when Xena's words registered. Still, the quizzical expression remained on her face, prompting the warrior to elaborate.

"Gabrielle, you know what my life was like before I met you." Xena's eyes pleaded understanding as much as her words. "Most of the people I shared a bed with would have killed me in my sleep given half a chance."

The bard hugged the warrior closer. "That's so sad, Xena."

"I know." She admitted. "But it's all in the past."

"Right." Gabrielle said, looking a little down.

Sensing the change in the bard's mood, Xena kissed her softly. "Hey...none of that matters now." The bard nodded weakly. "You make everything better."

"Really?"

"Every day that I'm with you heals my soul. I never thought it was possible...."

The bard smiled. "You know, I think I loved you the moment I saw you. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? But why do you think I followed you? I'd never even been out of Poteidia before and I just packed a bag and left home in search of you."

"It's not so crazy." Xena said with an easy smile. "Those slavers who had captured you and the other girls from your village...they almost got the best of me when I stopped mid-battle to look at you. There you were, just a young girl, standing in between the slavers and the rest of the girls, willing to risk yourself to save the others. I was so distracted by you that I almost got myself killed."

"No." The bard replied, shaking her head in disbelief. "You didn't even like me, Xena. You wouldn't let me come with you. And when I followed you, you were so mad."

"I was scared, Gabrielle." Xena said softly. "That's why I didn't want you to follow me. Besides, I didn't want you to get hurt."

The second part made sense. It was the first part that the bard was stuck on. "But what would you be scared of?"

"How I felt when I looked at you, Gabrielle. You affected me...and I had no control over it."

"All this time..." Tears welled up in the bard's eyes. "I never knew you felt that way."

"I always wanted you." Xena paused. "I didn't think I deserved you. So, I kept my distance."

"What about what I needed?" Gabrielle said softly. "I've never wanted anyone else. Just you, Xena. And when I thought you didn't want me...."

"It took me a while, but I finally figured that out ...how much I'd been hurting you by pushing you away. I was trying to protect you, Gabrielle, but I ended up hurting you." Apologetic blue eyes pleaded understanding.

"No more running?" The bard asked, her voice breaking.

"After tonight...I don't think I could, even if I wanted to." The warrior breathed, pulling the bard more fully into her arms.

"Thank you, Xena."

"For what?"

"For letting me in." Gabrielle said softly. "I know it's hard."

"You make it easier every day." The warrior confided, kissing her gently. The bard trembled at the tender kiss, framing Xena's face with her hands as if reminding herself that she was real.

When the kiss ended, Gabrielle wore a blissful smile. With a sigh, she rested her head on the warrior's chest, her hand slowly roaming her lover's torso. Xena closed her eyes trying to ignore the flash of desire, certain that the bard didn't realize what she was doing to her. A moment later, the warrior's eyes shot open when she felt soft lips, Gabrielle's lips, on her breast. The playful look on the bard's face left no doubt...she knew _exactly_ what she was doing.

"Can I make love to you, Xena?" The innocence in her voice stood in stark contrast to the mischievous glint in her eyes. Typical Gabrielle.

"I see you're back to your old self." The warrior said with a wicked smile, rolling the bard onto her back and gazing down into smiling green eyes. "Here I thought all of your orneriness was a thing of the past...thought maybe I'd tamed you."

Gabrielle laughed. "You should know me better than that, Xena."

"I should, shouldn't I?" The warrior said with a lopsided grin.

The bard chuckled. "I could try to be less ornery...." She offered, running her hands along Xena's sides, _accidentally_ brushing against the warrior's breasts.

"No no. That's quite all right." Xena said breathlessly. "I kind of missed the old Gabrielle."

"You like that I'm difficult." Gabrielle said with a knowing smile.

"I always admired your spunk." The warrior admitted.

"So...you never answered my question." The bard smiled, planting a small kiss on her lover's neck before whispering in her ear. "Can I make love to you, Xena?"

The warrior groaned. "Maybe later...." At the moment, Xena had other plans. Plans that included kissing every inch of her bard.

* * *

The first thing Willow noticed when she started to wake was a strong arm around her waist. Next...the sensation of Buffy's breasts pressed against her back and the warm breath tickling her neck. An invigorating way to wake up, the hacker thought. 

Slowly turning in Buffy's arms, the redhead took in the sight of the sleeping blonde. It occurred to Willow that the slayer didn't exist in these moments. The girl in front of her was just Buffy. She looked so young and carefree, sweet and vulnerable. Willow smiled, brushing the hair back from Buffy's face. She admired the slayer, loved her strength and determination, but it was Buffy, the girl inside of the slayer, who held Willow's heart.

The hacker leaned forward, placing the softest kiss on the blonde's lips. Buffy stirred at the touch, returning the kiss even before she fully woke. "Mmmm...what a way to wake up." Buffy said when Willow ended the kiss.

"It is kinda nice, isn't it?"

"Uh huh." Buffy smiled, pulling the redhead closer. "More please." Willow giggled as Buffy pursed her lips for another kiss, a request the hacker eagerly fulfilled.

Sometime later, Buffy reluctantly ended their kiss and collapsed onto her back with a sigh. She knew better than to get carried away. "Xena will be banging on our door any minute, you know." She advised.

"Oh...right." Willow nodded, settling in next to Buffy for some harmless snuggling.

"Buff?"

"Hmm?" The blonde, lost in her own thoughts, drew lazy circles on the back of Willow's hand.

"Do you think things are okay back at home?"

"We've only been gone a few days. I mean, I'm sure Giles is having kittens, but he can keep an eye on the hellmouth while we're gone, right?"

Willow nodded. "A-and we'll probably be home soon. Xena's plan to visit the Fates...seems like a good idea, doesn't it?"

"Yep. And if that doesn't work, we'll think of something else." Buffy said, squeezing the redhead tight. "Besides, knowing Giles, he's probably working on a way to bring us back as we speak. So...one way or another, we'll make it home."

The hacker's face relaxed into a smile. "Yeah...you're right. No sense in worrying." Willow said, her resolve face firmly in place. "We should just enjoy our vacation."

"See...now that's why I love you." Buffy said with a winning smile. "You're so smart...and cuddly--" Willow's grin widened with each compliment until she could resist no more and finally darted forward to steal a quick kiss.

"You're the cuddly one." The redhead insisted, wearing an impish grin. "Strong...but snuggly." Willow mused. "How can you be so buff, kick demon-butt every day and still be so soft and girlie?"

Buffy chuckled at the suddenly analytical expression on the hacker's face. "One of the great mysteries of life, I'm sure."

"Actually it is." Willow said thoughtfully. "So pretty...yet so lethal." She smiled at her own apt description.

"You think so, huh?" Buffy asked with an amused smile.

"Uh huh." Willow chuckled. "Maybe it's like your secret weapon...being so gorgeous. _Yeah_...distract the vamps with your sexy self. I mean, half of them are probably so busy ogling you in your leather that you could just walk right up and stake them."

Buffy laughed. "Yeah...that happens all the time."

"I'm sure it does...I know if I was a vamp, I'd be dust." The hacker said with a grin.

"You flatter me..." Buffy laughed shyly.

"Every word I say is true." Willow insisted.

"You really know how to charm a girl, Will."

The redhead put on a serious face. "That's good...cause there's this girl I kinda like."

Buffy chuckled. "There is huh?"

"Yep. She's really amazing, too. Beautiful and smart and funny."

"All that?" The slayer raised an eyebrow. "What's her name? I think I'm gonna have to introduce her to Mr. Pointy."

Willow rolled her eyes, giving the blonde a playful smack. "You _know_ I was talking about you, silly."

"Oh." Buffy said, winking at the redhead. "In that case, come here." This time their kiss was interrupted by a knock at the door. The blonde growled slightly as she pulled away. "Told ya."

Willow sighed. "Someone needs to talk to her about her timing."

Buffy smiled, nodding in agreement. "Love you." She said with a quick kiss.

"Love you too." Willow grinned as the blonde forced herself out of bed to answer the door.

* * *

"Ah, this is it." Giles said, his eyes lighting up as he read the email to Willow from Jan. "And now I'm talking to myself. I must be going mad." The watcher's eyes widened as he scanned the information and began to piece it all together. Willow had told Jan that Xena and Gabrielle were sent here from the past. The spell Willow performed was to send them back to their own time. 

Giles looked away from the screen, removing his glasses, squeezing the bridge of his nose as he absorbed the information. He shuffled some books around on the coffee table until he found what he was looking for - the picture he'd found at Willow's house, the one she'd used in the spell. The spell must have worked perfectly, he realized...too perfectly. He stared at the photograph of Xena and Gabrielle, again noting the framed photo of Buffy and Willow on the mantle in the background. "Foolish girl." He admonished, thinking back on all of the times that he'd warned the redhead about magic.

Rising from the couch, the watcher began to pace. "Right. So, I'll just reverse the spell." He stalked toward his magic cabinet, coming to a halt after three strides. "No. That would bring Xena and Gabrielle back with them."

Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, he considered his options. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him...the spell they had cast just a few weeks ago to send Vamp-Willow back to her own time and place. "That just might work." He mused aloud, making his way back to the pile of spellbooks. Retrieving a book from the stack, he quickly flipped through the pages until he found the spell in question.

Deciding that it was a viable option, the watcher set the book on the counter and picked up the phone. The instinct was to call the gang to a meeting, but he quickly realized his error. "Right, Giles. Who were you planning to call?" He asked, frustrated. "Buffy and Willow are missing. Xander's in a coma. And Angel's...." The watcher sighed, placing the phone back on the hook. At the moment, there was no gang, no one else to call.

"Well...I'll just have to take care of this myself. First, the magic shop, to pick up the items that I don't have on hand." With that, he picked up the spell book and headed for the door.

* * *

"Beautiful day, isn't it girls?" Xena said with a wide smile, stepping up behind Buffy and Willow to put an arm around each of them as they started down the road. 

Buffy glanced up at the warrior with a smug smile. "You're mighty chipper for a woman who didn't get any sleep." Willow nudged the blonde in the side and chanced a glance at Gabrielle who was smiling in spite of the blush rising on her cheeks.

Xena's smile faltered slightly and she considered aiming her death-glare at the slayer. Instead, she decided on a different tactic. "What's the matter? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" She teased.

Buffy chuckled. "Not at all. It's just that a hyperactive warrior was banging on my door interrupting my good morning kiss." Willow giggled.

"Sorry. I thought you'd want to get moving. Big plans today. Remember."

"Yeah...when you have a date with fate, you shouldn't be _late_." The redhead giggled at her lame rhyme.

Buffy chuckled in spite of herself. "That was really...."

"Bad?" Willow supplied, with an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"There it is." Xena pointed.

"The Temple of the Fates?" The hacker questioned, looking up at the stone building directly in front of them.

"Yep." The warrior confirmed.

Taking Gabrielle's hand, Xena led the group into the temple. After their encounter with Ares, Willow was a little reluctant. Buffy squeezed the redhead's hand reassuring her as she coaxed the hacker through the doorway behind the warrior and bard. The room they entered was a great contrast to that of Ares' temple. It was plain, lacking any frivolous decoration. The only items present were several large iron candleholders, all basic black in color, holding the candles that were the sole source of light in the dimly lit chamber.

Xena approached the south wall, stopping in front of a ledge that Buffy assumed must be some sort of an altar. The warrior picked up a burning candle and stepped up to the altar to light one of the unused candles on the ledge. When the wick took the flame, Xena returned the first candle to its holder and cast her eyes toward the ceiling. "By this flame, I call on the three Fates: The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Return my friends, Buffy and Willow, to their home to live out their true destiny. On their behalf, I ask it."

She waited, but sensed no presence in the room. Turning to Buffy and Willow, she gestured for them to come forward. When the slayer and hacker approached the altar, three figures materialized.

"Xena..." They spoke in unison.

"Do you know--"

"What you ask--"

"Of us?"

Willow looked on wide-eyed at the three ethereal figures that finished each other's sentences as if they shared a single consciousness.

"Yes." The warrior answered. "You three spin the thread of life. Their destiny is not in this time or this place. Their fate was unnaturally altered. The future depends on them. You have the power to right this wrong."

"We do." The Fates replied.

"But--" The Maiden began

"Nothing comes--" The Mother continued.

"Without a price." The Crone finished.

"What price?" Xena asked.

"All that has been gained would be lost." The Fates replied.

"Your time together--"

"The bonds you have formed--"

"Would all be forgotten."

"As if it never existed." The Fates concluded.

"We would forget all of this?" Buffy asked, stepping forward. "Ever being here?"

"More than that--"

"It would be--"

"As if you'd never met."

"All that has been gained, would be lost." The Fates repeated.

Xena looked at Gabrielle. Buffy's eyes found Willow's. The four of them had a great deal to lose if the past week was forgotten. They stood in silent consideration. It was the slayer who finally spoke up. "Can we at least take some time to think about this?"

The Crone nodded. "This time tomorrow, the offer expires." With that, the Fates faded away.

Gabrielle approached and put her arms around the warrior's waist. Xena held her for a moment before turning to Buffy and Willow. "Let's get out of here."

The slayer and hacker nodded in agreement and the group left the temple. The warrior paused outside to gather Argo's reigns and led the way out of town. The four traveled in silence, each one lost in thought. Precious friendships had developed in the time they had spent in each other's worlds. Buffy and Willow had realized their love for one another and shared so much since then. Xena and Gabrielle had weathered the storm and came together as lovers.

The week they spent together had forever changed the warrior and bard, slayer and hacker. Could they pay the price the Fates asked of them?

****

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Continued in Chapter 12


	12. The Facts of Life

**Chapter 12 - The Facts of Life**

"What do you mean you don't have any sacred sand?" Giles asked in disbelief.

"Sir, please calm down."

"Calm down? What kind of bloody magic shop is this?" The watcher raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

"We will be getting a shipment in tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Giles repeated, stalking around in front of the counter. A moment later, the watcher turned and strode out of the shop, muttering to himself. "Why should I be surprised? Is anything ever simple?"

When he reached his car, he sat back in the driver's seat weighing his choices. With Faith on the loose and the growing chaos in Sunnydale, Giles quickly decided that waiting another day for the magic shop to get a shipment wasn't an option. "There has to be somewhere that I can get it today."

* * *

They had traveled for less than an hour when Xena stopped. "We can set up camp here. There's a lake. I can catch some fish for lunch." When no one responded, she continued. "Look, we should stay near Athens...in case we decide to go back." Three sets of eyes looked up at the warrior then.

Xena said no more, but moved toward the lake and tethered Argo's reigns to the branch of a nearby tree. Buffy followed the warrior, leaving Gabrielle and Willow behind. The hacker's brain had been in overdrive since leaving the temple and she could be silent no longer.

"We're not seriously considering this, are we?" She asked the bard.

Gabrielle looked up to meet her gaze. "I don't know. I think we have to consider it."

Willow swallowed hard, her mind reeling. "How? After all that's happened?"

"This might be your only chance to get home." The bard said sadly.

"You and Xena...your entire relationship has changed. Can you just give that up?" Willow asked in disbelief.

Gabrielle bent her head, raking her hands through her hair. "Can you and Buffy afford to pass up this chance if it means staying here permanently?"

* * *

Buffy approached the water's edge, finding Xena perched on a nearby rock, her sword in front of her as she ran the sharpening stone along the length of the blade.

"Xena?" Buffy called, trying to get the warrior's attention.

"Hmm?" She answered without looking up from the task at hand.

"Would you stop that and look at me?" Xena stopped and sheathed her sword, meeting the slayer's gaze. "Mind if I share your rock?" Buffy asked, smiling at her friend.

"Be my guest." The warrior returned the smile and scooted over to give the slayer more room.

"There's no need to get all broody-warrior on us." Buffy said, gently teasing her friend. "We're not going back to the Fates." She added, meeting Xena's troubled blue eyes.

"I appreciate the pep-talk." The warrior said soberly. " But...we have to consider it."

Buffy held up a hand. "Will? Gabrielle?" The slayer called, gesturing for the hacker and bard to join them by the lake. The two girls approached, both wearing sad faces. "Will...you look like you just lost your best friend." Buffy noted.

"Best friends _and_ my girlfriend." The redhead said dejectedly. Buffy reached out, catching Willow's hands and pulling her closer.

"Do you want to go through with this?" The blonde asked, searching the hacker's face. Willow shook her head. "Exactly." Buffy exclaimed. "Neither do I." She turned to the warrior and bard then. "And judging by the looks on your faces, I don't think the two of you want to do this either. So, it's unanimous. We're not letting the Fates scramble our brains just so we can get a ride home."

The three women stared at Buffy. Xena spoke up first. "We need to think about this before we make a decision."

"Xena's right, Buffy." Gabrielle interjected. "You're the slayer. The future needs you. Besides, it's your home."

"I'm not saying we should give up." The blonde replied. "But we don't have to do this. Right, Will?" Willow shrugged. Buffy looked from the hacker to the warrior to the bard. They all wore similar expressions. "Hey?" She exclaimed, standing up to address the group with her hands on her hips. "I'm pretty sure at least one of you should be on my side here."

Willow took a step toward her girlfriend and reached for her hand. "No." The slayer said, backing away from the redhead. "You all seem to think we should do this, so I say we start right now. No more holding hands, no kissing, no nothing." She said, pulling the bard away from the warrior's side to break their linked hands. "Remember, you two are just friends...if you can call it that--"

"Buffy--" Xena stood up.

"No! Sit down, Xena. Sharpen your damn sword. That's what you do, right? Just pretend none of this is happening." The slayer was on a roll and gaining momentum with every word. "And Gabrielle, why don't you go set up camp? By yourself, like you always do. That's all I have to say to you two. After all, we don't even know each other, right? We _never_ met. So, we're not friends. We're not..._anything_." With that, Buffy turned on her heel and stalked off, leaving the others behind in stunned silence.

After a moment, Gabrielle went to Argo and began unpacking the supplies to set up camp. Willow took a deep breath and trudged off after Buffy. And Xena sat staring at the surface of the water for a moment before drawing her sword and resuming work on the blade.

* * *

Willow followed the rugged path along the lake's edge. The trail was obscured by overgrown brush on both sides and was nearly impassable in a few places. After walking for several minutes, Willow had still seen no sign of Buffy. She paused, ready to turn back toward the camp until she caught a glimpse of movement on the path ahead. "Buffy?" The hacker called, continuing on the trail.

"Yeah. I'm here."

The path widened a bit in front of her and after a few steps Willow entered a small clearing, finding Buffy sitting on the ground reclining against a tree. "There you are." The redhead said. "I was beginning to think I wasn't going to find you. We must be halfway around the lake."

Buffy shrugged. "Sorry. I just needed some time to think."

"Should I leave? I-I can go back to camp if you want to be alone." Willow said uncertainly.

"Come. Sit." The blonde said, patting the ground beside her.

"Are you sure?"

Buffy smiled. "Will, please." The redhead breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to her.

"Did you mean what you said before?" The hacker asked softly, absently running a hand over the grass between them.

Buffy reached out, capturing Willow's hand with her own. "I was trying to make a point." The blonde said. " Everything has changed. I can't go back." She paused, searching the green eyes in front of her. "Do you want to go back to the way things were before?" Buffy asked softly, her voice full of emotion.

"Oh, Buffy. No." Willow said, scooting closer to put her arms around the blonde. "It took us so long to get here. And these past few days...I've been so happy."

"I finally feel right inside, Will. Ever since I was called, it's been one apocalypse after another. Sometimes I felt like I was slipping away...losing myself. Now, with you...it's like I'm at peace. I can't go back to the way things were before." Buffy whispered, turning to bring their lips together.

Soon, they lay beneath the tree locked in an urgent embrace. Thoughts of losing all that they had just found amplified their need to be close. Their mouths found each other again and again, but no kiss seemed to satiate their needs. Each time they pulled apart to catch their breath, the yearning intensified.

With no thought to where they were, perhaps no thought at all, Willow brought her hands to the buttons of Buffy's shirt, fumbling with the few pearl circles that stood between her and the skin she longed to touch. The blonde shuddered as the last button gave way and Willow pushed the material aside. Buffy pushed herself up onto her knees, maintaining their kiss as she pulled the redhead into a sitting position, tugging at the hem of the hacker's T-shirt. Soft hands slid along Willow's sides, finally lifting the shirt up and over her head. They reluctantly broke off their kiss to finish the task, coming together again as if the distance had been unbearable.

Buffy guided Willow back to the ground, fashioning a makeshift pillow out of the discarded T-shirt. For several minutes they marveled at the feel of skin against skin, each taking turns exploring with hands and lips. Soon they parted, both gasping for air, both yearning for more. Buffy's fingers moved to the clasp of Willow's bra and she met the redhead's eyes, seeking permission. Her green eyes were dark with desire that matched Buffy's own. Willow's answer was clear as she mirrored the blonde's movements, quickly releasing the clasp of Buffy's bra, much to the slayer's surprise.

The blonde barely had time to work the clasp at the front of Willow's bra and slip the satiny fabric aside before being pulled down again by insistent hands on her hips. A soft moan escaped Buffy's lips as gentle hands moved over her naked skin, stopping at her waist. The redhead whimpered in frustration, tugging at the leather pants.

Buffy ended the kiss, breathing heavily as she grinned down at her pouting girlfriend. "'k, do you know where we are?"

"Don't care." Willow mumbled, trying to recapture her girlfriend's lips.

Buffy chuckled nervously. They were quickly moving beyond the point of no return. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Not really." The redhead replied, looking up at her dreamily. "I was kinda hoping we could figure it out together."

The redhead was long past the point of thinking and reasoning, driven by a single need - to get as close to Buffy as possible. Buffy groaned as Willow's mouth found hers. Restless hands again began to roam, quickly meeting the same barrier as before. Trembling fingers fluttered across tanned skin and over taut stomach muscles, intent on the removal of Buffy's pants.

Lost in the moment and in each other, they worked together to remove the last of the clothing that stood between them. They tossed each article aside one by one, until at last they descended on the bed of soft green grass in a lover's embrace.

* * *

"They've been gone quite a while..." The warrior said, concerned.

"I'm sure they're fine. They're probably just talking...about the Fates."

"Gabrielle...you know that I don't want to go through with this, don't you?" Xena asked, reaching out to the bard.

"I know." Gabrielle said sadly, putting her arms around the warrior. "After all they've done for us...we have to do whatever we can to help them."

Xena nodded, holding the bard close. "I can't believe...after everything..." The pain was too much and the warrior trailed off, but her meaning was clear.

"I know." Gabrielle said. "Can't we just enjoy today, being together? Whatever happens, we'll deal with it then. Right now...I just need to be with you."

Xena met the bard's gaze and the warrior's heart ached at the thought of losing her love. Xena toyed with a lock of strawberry blonde hair and drank in the sight of the sweet green eyes. "I want you to know how much last night means to me, Gabrielle." Her voice was thick with love and her blue eyes held a tenderness that was reserved for the bard alone.

Gabrielle nodded and reached up to touch Xena's face. "I know...me too."

* * *

Across the lake, the slayer and hacker held each other, a tangle of arms and legs, hands and mouths, slowly coming back down to Earth. Buffy was first to remember where they were and chuckled softly as she looked around. Willow followed her wandering gaze and the redhead's eyes widened as if she realized only then that they had just made love on the ground in broad daylight. True to form, the hacker scrambled for something to cover herself with and Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change.

"You just seduced me, ripped off my clothes and made love to me and _now_...you're all shy Willow again?" She teased.

"What can I say? I'm a complex girl. I have many layers." The blushing redhead replied.

"Like this?" Buffy chuckled, playfully snatching the shirt that Willow had been covering herself with.

The redhead nodded and a seductive smile curved her lips. "And this...." She said, pressing her body to Buffy's and slowly kissing her. When Willow ended the kiss, the blonde stared at her, with a slightly dazed smile.

"Wasn't it just last night that I was talking about taking things slow?" Buffy mused.

"Uh huh." Willow replied, with an impish grin. "What _were_ you thinking?"

Buffy chuckled. "I have _no_ idea...maybe something like..._this is all so new_ or _I have no idea what I'm doing_ or just maybe I was thinking _Willow is so sweet and innocent and shy_..."

"I am...but a girl can only take so much of your teasing." Willow said, snuggling into her girlfriend's side. The redhead gazed up into tender hazel eyes. "Really though...I just needed you, Buffy. And nothing else mattered."

Buffy smiled a little misty-eyed, managing only a whisper past the lump in her throat. "I know...I feel the same way." She reached out, brushing her fingertips across Willow's cheek. "I adore you, you know."

"Me too. I-I mean you...I love you." The blonde silenced her babble with a tender kiss.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon by the time that Buffy and Willow made their way back toward the camp. The trip around the lake took longer than expected. They found that it was impossible to kiss while walking and completely unacceptable to go without kissing for more than a minute at a time. The combination of those two factors resulted in frequent stops along the trail. When they finally stepped out into the clearing, both girls were flushed and breathing heavily from the short trip. The many rest breaks they had taken had proven much more strenuous than the walk itself.

"Will...look at those two." Buffy said, pointing across the clearing at the warrior and bard who were wrapped in each other's arms. "Seems like my hands-off policy didn't last long with them either." Willow smiled at the sight. All was right with the world.

"You're back." Xena said, looking up as the slayer and hacker approached, arm in arm, both looking a bit disheveled.

"You were gone so long...we were a little worried." Gabrielle added.

"Sorry." Willow offered an apologetic smile.

"I was going to go look for you, make sure you were all right." The warrior said. Buffy and Willow shared a look, horrified at the prospect.

"I told Xena that you just needed some time to talk." Gabrielle interjected.

"Yeah..." Buffy exhaled. "That's what we were doing. We, we were just...talking, and we lost track of time. Right, Will?" Xena eyed the slayer curiously as she babbled and an uncharacteristic blush rose on the blonde's cheeks.

"Oh! Uh...right. We were..." Willow trailed off nervously.

"Talking?" Xena filled in, smiling at the two girls; both were wearing guilty faces. "You've got some..." The warrior plucked a blade of grass from the hacker's hair. "Grass in your hair." Xena finished, holding up the evidence for all to see.

Willow's eyes widened and she shot Buffy a _'why didn't you tell me?'_ look. The blonde rushed to defend her girlfriend's honor, while the redhead looked up at the warrior with a sheepish smile.

"Yeah. We were just lying on the ground looking up at the stars--" Willow elbowed her squarely in the ribs. "Clouds." Buffy yelped. "Looking up at the clouds, talking. So, the grass...well that explains it."

Xena glanced up at the clear blue sky, then back at Buffy with a knowing smirk. "None of my business." The warrior chuckled. "I'm just glad that Gabrielle convinced me not to go looking for you." Buffy and Willow both looked at the bard with grateful smiles.

* * *

Giles pulled up in front of the house and made his way up the front steps. After a brief pause, he knocked on the door. He heard footsteps inside and was relieved when the door finally opened. "Anya, I'm glad to find you home."

"What do you want?" The former vengeance demon asked, rolling her eyes. 

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me." The watcher replied, a bit uncertainly.

"First you destroyed my power source, trapping me here in this, this mortal body. Then you ruined my chance to get it back." The girl said. "Why would I help you?"

"Well..." Giles faltered, trying to formulate an answer. "Perhaps because I know all about you...what you were. Now you are a mere girl. You are powerless. And if you don't help me, I can make your life very difficult." The watcher gave her his most intimidating glare, hoping that the weak threat would be enough.

"Do you know how many men I eviscerated in my time as a vengeance demon? Thousands. I'm not afraid of you." Anya said in a dismissive tone as she moved to close the door in Giles' face.

"Wait just a damn minute." He said, blocking the doorway. "Unless you want to remain in high school for many years to come, you will help me. If you don't, I'll see to it that you never graduate."

Anya, who hated being a mortal teenage girl, did not enjoy the tedium of high school. It was one of the things she liked the least about her new life. The watcher's threat broke her resolve. "All right...what do you want?"

"I need sacred sand." Giles said.

"So? Why don't you go to the magic shop and buy some?"

"Of course, why didn't I think of that?" The watcher said sarcastically. "I've been there already. They are sold out."

"They'll get more eventually, won't they?" Anya asked impatiently.

"Yes...but I need it today." Giles insisted.

"Why?"

"That's none of your concern." He said in clipped tones. "Now, do you have any or not?"

"What would make you think I would have some? Just because I'm a former vengeance demon? There's a big difference between that and being a witch. I'm not a witch...Willow is a witch. Did you check with her?"

"Willow is not available. And yes, I _know_ you are not a witch, but just a few weeks ago, you were casting spells, weren't you?"

"Oh, only the one time. Just to try to get my powers back." Anya explained. "It's not like I do it all the time now."

"So, you don't have any sacred sand?" The watcher asked, glaring at the girl impatiently. 

"Sorry." She said.

Giles ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Do you know anywhere I might be able to get it?"

"I know some people who might have it." Anya said slowly.

"Excellent. Come on." He said, grabbing her by the arm and leading her out of the house.

"Hey? What do you think you're doing?"

"Showing you to the car." Giles said, pushing her down the driveway. "You are going to take me to them."

* * *

Lunchtime had come and gone while Buffy and Willow had been...otherwise engaged, so the group decided on an early dinner. This time all four of the women waded into the lake, in various states of undress, to participate in the fishing. The whole event felt almost sacred. One way or another, they sensed that their time together would be coming to an end soon and the little moments that they shared like this, however odd, held a special significance for them.

Gabrielle had a little experience with this hands-on form of fishing. Xena had insisted on teaching her earlier that spring. Though she had only tried it the one time, she had a distinct advantage over Willow. Buffy explained the basics, just as Xena had taught her, while the redhead looked at her skeptically.

"Come on. You can do it, Will. Give it a try." Buffy insisted. The other three watched as Willow stood uncertainly in her panties and T-shirt, staring down into the water. Soon, the redhead thrust her hands beneath the surface and clutched at the large trout below. The hacker smiled triumphantly as she closed her hands around its body. When the fish began to squirm, however, Willow let out a shriek and pulled back so fast that she lost her balance and fell backward. She came up drenched and sputtering, to find the other three laughing hysterically.

"Very funny." Willow said, looking betrayed.

"Sorry, sweetie." Buffy said, helping the redhead to her feet. "I'll make it up to you..." She promised, giving her girlfriend a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll catch your dinner."

"Good." Willow said with a satisfied smile. "Then I might _consider_ forgiving you for laughing at me."

* * *

They finished dinner with a couple of hours of daylight remaining and decided to gather at the lake for some quality lounging time. Finding two large trees close together near the water's edge, Xena claimed one and Buffy the other. They sat down, backs against their respective trees, facing each other. Willow settled on the ground between Buffy's legs, leaning back into her embrace. Xena patted the ground in front of her inviting Gabrielle to do the same.

When all four were settled, Buffy and Willow begged a story of the bard, wanting to hear more about Xena and Gabrielle's lives. With some prodding from the warrior, Gabrielle agreed and began spinning her tales. Xena soon interrupted, insisting that she tell the story about the day when she had first taught the bard her fishing methods...the day of the famous Henbane incident. Gabrielle's memory was somewhat foggy, having been drugged at the time, and Xena graciously filled in the details where necessary.

The slayer and hacker listened attentively as the bard explained how their combined swimming and fishing adventure (both of them naked, as always) had been interrupted by a group of men chasing a young boy named Icus. Xena had fought the men and saved the boy.

The highlights of the story, which the warrior pointed out, included Gabrielle eating an entire loaf of nutbread that had been drugged with Henbane. After which, the bard had dreamed up an imaginary choir, had in-depth conversations with rocks, and at one point had fallen to the ground in awe of Xena's beauty. That was clearly the warrior's favorite part as she proceeded to give a detailed account, which culminated with Gabrielle's declaration, "By the gods, Xena," the bard had said breathlessly, "_you_ are beautiful." Buffy and Willow chuckled at the animated re-enactment the warrior gave.

"The only thing I enjoyed more that day was dangling in that old well." Xena said, smiling down at the bard.

"You can't be serious." Gabrielle said. "We almost died."

"Yes, but we didn't, did we?" The warrior said with a mischievous grin.

The bard shook her head. "So, what was so great about it?" She asked confused.

"The way you climbed up my body." Xena said suggestively.

Gabrielle chuckled. "_That's_ what you were thinking about when we were about to fall to our death?"

"Uh huh."

Buffy chuckled at the exchange. "You _know_ you lead a strange life when your fondest memories revolve around near-death experiences." Willow nodded her agreement, pondering the wisdom in her girlfriend's words.

"Well...not anymore." Xena declared, hugging the bard tighter. Gabrielle smiled up at the warrior in silent agreement.

"So, tell us about some of your adventures." The bard said, turning back to Buffy and Willow.

"I'm not much of a storyteller." Buffy said, shaking her head. "Any ideas, Will?"

"What about a couple of weeks ago...your aspect of the demon?" The redhead suggested.

"It was fun at first, but not so much later." Buffy said, thinking back on how she nearly went insane.

"I know. It wasn't all fun, but it was definitely interesting." Willow said.

Buffy conceded and began to tell them about the scabby demons with no mouths. She shuddered at the memory. After her encounter with the demon, her hand had begun to itch. Giles had done some research and told her that the creature she had fought was known to "infect its host with an aspect of the demon."

"Buffy was so freaked." Willow interjected. "I caught her running her hands through her hair and asked her what she was doing and she said she was checking for horns." Xena and Gabrielle shared a look.

"So," Buffy said defensively, "Willow was the one who came up with the idea that if it was a boy demon, my aspect of the demon could be...well, lets just say, more radical than horns." The blonde chuckled, looking at the redhead with an eyebrow raised. "I still can't believe you thought of that."

Willow giggled. "I remember having the fleeting thought that if that was your aspect of the demon, then maybe you'd want to date me."

Buffy's eyes widened. "You can't be serious!"

"I said it was fleeting...a fleeting thought." Willow insisted. "I can't be held responsible for every crazy little thing that goes through my mind."

"See, Gabrielle, that kind of puts the whole well incident in perspective, doesn't it?" Xena asked.

The bard nodded her agreement. "No comparison. You two live very weird lives indeed."

"What was it?" Xena asked. "Your demon part? Did you ever get it?"

"Oh yeah. I got it all right." Buffy chuckled. "It turned out it wasn't horns or scales or other parts which shall remain nameless." The blonde said, directing the last part of her statement at Willow. "It was telepathic ability. I could read minds."

"Really?" Gabrielle asked in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"Don't know how...but in the past four years as the slayer, I've learned that pretty much _anything_ is possible." Buffy drawled. "At first, it was fun. Of course, it got old really fast with Xander thinking about sex like every two seconds and Wesley getting all hot and bothered over Cordelia." 

"And finding out about your mom and Giles doing it on the hood of a police car." Willow said, chuckling softly. Xena and Gabrielle looked at them curiously. "But that's another story entirely."

"Right." Buffy said. "Point is...all things I would rather not know. Giles and my mom, eew. Wesley and Cordelia, _please_. And I already knew that Xander had a one-track mind...I didn't need the details." Buffy said seriously. Turning to Willow, she added, "And the whole thing freaked you out. You were the only one I wanted to be around and you were avoiding me like the plague."

"Sorry...I was just afraid that you would hear me thinking some of the things that I had been thinking...about you." Willow admitted.

"What kind of things?" Buffy asked suggestively.

"Nothing like that." The redhead scolded. "Unlike Xander, my thoughts don't originate below the waist. I was thinking more along the lines of how your eyes sparkle when you smile sometimes or how I felt like I was gonna faint when you would hold my hand. All very innocent...but you would have known that I was having more-than-friendly thoughts about you. That's why I avoided you." Willow admitted.

"Seriously?" Buffy asked. The hacker nodded. "I had no idea." They sat for a moment, lost in each other's eyes, forgetting all about Xena and Gabrielle's presence, until the bard's voice interrupted their thoughts.

"That's such a nice story. A little odd...but sweet." Buffy and Willow shared a look, debating whether to tell the rest of the story or not.

"So, what happened?" Xena prodded. "You obviously can't read minds anymore."

"Well..." The slayer sighed heavily and continued the story, giving the shortened version of her spiral toward insanity, the killer in the cafeteria and her eventual cure by eating the heart of the demon. Willow added the bit about Jonathan's suicide attempt and how Buffy had saved him and had saved the rest of the students from the crazed lunch lady who was trying to poison the food.

"Wow."

"Yeah, fun." Buffy said dryly. "Just a day in the life of _me_."

"So...what about Giles and your mom?" Gabrielle asked curiously.

Willow chuckled softly. "The Band candy incident."

"Go ahead." Buffy urged. "You're dying to tell them."

* * *

The four talked for hours, sharing their stories and many laughs as they watched the sunset. The chill of the evening set in after dark and Xena suggested they go back to camp. Later, when they were gathered around the campfire, Xena and Gabrielle grew quiet, thinking about the topic they had all been avoiding - The Fates. Reluctantly, the warrior finally broached the subject.

"About tomorrow..." Xena began. "Gabrielle and I talked about it and we want you to know that we're fine with whatever you decide."

"Since you brought it up...I've got a few things to say." Buffy said, smiling at the warrior and bard across the campfire. "First of all, I'm hurt that you guys just want to forget us. Aren't you hurt, Will?" Buffy prodded.

"Insulted really." Willow tried to sound serious, but couldn't help grinning.

"I mean...think of all the great times we've had together. Like the first time when Gabrielle got attacked by that vamp in the cemetery right after we met."

"And the time we walked in on you two in the shower." Willow added.

"And when Gabrielle got attacked the second time at The Bronze." Buffy smiled, adding to the list of less than happy memories.

"A-and when Xena almost got stabbed by Faith when she was protecting me."

"And what about all of the baths we've taken together..." Buffy sighed wistfully.

"That's right! I don't get _naked_ with just anybody, mister." Willow said with an impish grin. Xena and Gabrielle listened to the speech, both laughing.

"And I wouldn't let just anybody see my girlfriend naked." Buffy added, earning a shocked look from the redhead. "Sorry, honey. Just a little joke...The point is, there's been a lot of serious girl bonding going on."

"You got that right." Willow agreed.

"And second...there's the two of you together now. Even if we were willing to accept the Fates' terms, we wouldn't let you do this for us."

Xena started to interrupt and Buffy shushed her. "Besides...we don't want this any more than you do. I'm not giving up my friends and the girl of my dreams. That's too high a price to pay." Buffy said decidedly. "We'll find another way home."

"Well said." Willow smiled sweetly. "The girl of your dreams, huh?"

"You know it." Buffy gave the redhead a quick kiss before turning back to the warrior and bard. "So...are we clear?"

"I think so." Xena said.

"It's funny how things work out sometimes...isn't it?" Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "None of this would have ever happened if it wasn't for Kronos."

"You know, you're right. Every cloud has a silver lining." Willow said happily. The warrior and bard looked at her, clearly not understanding the comment and the hacker quickly explained. "Oh...it's a saying. It just means that even things that seem bad can have a good outcome. Like when Kronos sent you to the future."

"Right." Gabrielle smiled. "We met the two of you and with your help, Xena and I finally faced our feelings for each other. We've all become good friends...and you two, you're together now. A lot of wonderful things have happened."

"It's fitting really." Buffy interjected. "It's like we were talking about earlier...our fondest memories are often tied to the not-so-nice parts of our lives. Face it...the four of us...we're just not normal."

"Well, I for one, don't care if I'm weird. I'm just glad that there's good with the bad." The redhead declared, snuggling closer to Buffy's side.

Gabrielle nodded, smiling up at Xena. "Me too. It makes it all worthwhile."

* * *

The ringing of the phone interrupted Giles' frenzied pace as the watcher rushed to gather the rest of the spell ingredients. "Yes, hello." He said impatiently, stopping to pick up the phone. "Oh, Cordelia."

"Good news...Xander is awake and the doctor said he's going to be fine."

"I'm so glad to hear that." Giles said with a relieved sigh.

"He's back to his old self already...eating everything in sight and asking about Buffy and Willow."

"I have some news about that as a matter of fact. I've found a spell that may bring them home. I was preparing to cast it when you called actually."

Their chat lasted only a minute or two and soon Giles was busy with the spell preparation once again. He stepped up to his worktable to look at the ingredients and went over his mental checklist. He needed pictures of the girls. Turning to his bookcase, he quickly located last year's Sunnydale High yearbook. Flipping to the junior class section, he found Willow's picture and cut it out. On the next page, he found Buffy's picture.

He laid the two photographs on the worktable side by side. The candles were lit, herbs prepared, sacred sand at the ready. With a deep cleansing breath, he began the spell.

_Eryishon. K'shala. Meh-uhn. Diprecht.  
__Doh-tehenlo nu-Eryishon.  
__The child to the mother.  
__The river to the sea.  
__Eryishon, hear my prayer._

Energy crackled in the air as the temporal fold began to open. The intense power of the spell made the watcher's hand shake as he reached for the sacred sand and began pouring it on Buffy's picture.

* * *

A light broke through the darkness of the camp as the portal opened and the slayer bolted to her feet. "Giles..."

"Buffy?"

"I feel strange...I think it's time." The blonde said, wavering slightly.

* * *

A loud noise broke the watcher's concentration. He looked up to find Faith standing in his now destroyed doorway.

"What's this?" The dark slayer asked, charging at Giles. The watcher panicked, dumping the rest of the sand on the picture. As Faith tackled him and began her assault, he silently prayed that what he had done had been enough.

The next sound Buffy heard was Faith's voice. The disoriented slayer struggled to her feet, finding herself in Giles' living room. She turned toward the sound and sprang into action, pulling Faith off of the watcher.

"What the hell?" The dark slayer protested, backing up a step. "Guess I was too late. Shoulda stayed gone, B." Faith lunged at Buffy and the two traded blows.

"What can I say, F? I just couldn't stay away." The blonde replied through clenched teeth as she landed a solid kick to Faith's gut.

"How sweet...I knew you'd miss me." The brunette taunted, landing a punch that split Buffy's lip.

The blonde laughed. "In your dreams."

Faith went wild at the comment and tackled Buffy then, pinning her to the floor. "Come on...give us a kiss." Desire flashed in her dark eyes as she stared down at the blonde.

Buffy saw it and chuckled nervously. Faith dropped her guard for a split second and Buffy rolled, taking control from the dark slayer, pinning her to the ground. "You're a sick girl, Faith."

Giles lay nearby, drifting in and out of awareness. He pulled himself to the desk and rifled through the drawer until he found his med kit. He slid it across the floor toward Buffy and then collapsed in a heap.

The dark slayer knew what was coming and struggled beneath the blonde, but Buffy swiftly buried the needle in her arm and Faith went limp as soon as the drugs entered her system. Buffy's first thought as she climbed to her feet was Willow. She scanned the room searching for her girlfriend, but the redhead wasn't there.

"Giles?" She called, dropping to the watcher's side.

"Buffy?" He answered weakly.

"Giles, where's Willow?"

"Faith..."

"No! Willow! Where's Willow?" Buffy prodded.

"The spell...." Giles tried to muster the strength to speak. "I didn't get to...finish."

****

* * *

Continued in Chapter 13


	13. Faith, Love & No More Tricks

**Chapter 13 - Faith, Love & No More Tricks**

The blinding light diminished as the portal closed, leaving darkness in its wake. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust. When she was able to focus again, with only the light from the campfire, Willow cast a glance around the camp and her suspicions were confirmed. Buffy was gone.

The warrior and bard looked at her. "What happened?"

"She said something about Giles...before she disappeared." Willow paused, piecing it all together. "He must have found a spell, a way to bring us home. Buffy must be back in Sunnydale." The redhead smiled, jumping up excitedly. "That means I should be leaving any second...so I guess this is goodbye." Her face showed both the joy of finally going home and the hint of sadness that she would never see her friends again.

Both warrior and bard were quickly at her side. They hugged her, saying their good-byes. "It's hard to believe that we won't be seeing you again." Gabrielle said, squeezing Willow's hand. "You and Buffy have done so much for us."

"You've done just as much for us, maybe more." The hacker replied softly, tears springing to her eyes. "We're really gonna miss you."

Xena stepped forward putting an arm around Willow. "You'll tell Buffy goodbye for us?" The warrior asked. The redhead nodded, not trusting her voice. The whole event was a test of Xena's self-control as she tried to reign in her own emotions. "You two have been real friends to Gabrielle and me."

"The feeling is mutual." Willow smiled up at the warrior. "If you ever have another run-in with Kronos, you two better come and see us."

Xena grinned. "It's a promise."

* * *

"Giles?" Buffy ran a damp cloth over the watcher's face, wiping away the blood. "You awake?" He groaned in response. "Up you go." She said, pulling him into a sitting position. "Put your arm around my neck. I'm gonna help you onto the couch. Okay?" With little help on his part, Buffy managed to get him to the living room and onto the sofa.

"Here. Take these." She said, returning with two Advil and a glass of water. The watcher took the pills and lay back again with a sigh, willing his eyes to focus on the girl in front of him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be all right." Giles insisted, trying to sit up. His brave front didn't last and he collapsed back into the cushions.

"I think you better rest for a while." Buffy said. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

"Faith found out that you were missing." The watcher paused, drawing in a ragged breath. "She was trying to stop me from bringing you back. She burst in while I was trying to cast the spell--"

"I think I know the rest." Buffy interjected. "The drugs knocked her out, but she could wake up anytime. What are we going to do with her?"

"In my weapons chest." Giles pointed across the room. "There are some shackles. They should hold her."

"Right." Buffy nodded.

Moments later, with the shackles in hand, she looked around for something sturdy to chain the dark slayer to. Deciding on the metal desk chair, she moved it to the middle of the room, propped Faith's limp form up on the seat, and spent a good ten minutes securing the chains. She ran the chain through the back and around the legs of the chair, across the brunette's chest, waist and legs and locked the bracelets around her wrists at the back of the chair. When she finished, the blonde slayer stood back to survey her work. Satisfied that it would hold her, she turned her attention to the front door - what was left of it.

Faith had broken the doorframe when she kicked her way in. Buffy pushed the door into place and pulled the desk in front of it to hold it closed, deciding that would have to suffice. With a sigh, she turned and went back to the living room. Giles was already asleep on the sofa. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearly one in morning. She collapsed in a nearby chair to keep watch.

Home. After spending the better part of a week in Ancient Greece and a harsh Sunnydale homecoming, Buffy was nonplussed. It would take time to readjust, she realized. Willow's absence was a large part of the problem, she admitted with a frustrated sigh. She wrestled with the desire to wake Giles and demand that he cast the spell that would bring the redhead home. She knew that he needed his strength in order for the spell to be successful, so she resigned herself to waiting.

Eight days and nights had passed since they had first encountered Xena and Gabrielle in Restfield Cemetery. Eight days that had changed everything. Eight nights that she'd slept by Willow's side. With two millennia suddenly separating them, Buffy was coming unglued. She thrashed around in the armchair, willing away the hours until Giles could cast the spell again. Her only consolation was the knowledge that Willow was not alone. Xena and Gabrielle would keep her safe.

* * *

Several hours had passed since Buffy's disappearance from the camp. Willow's emotions had run the gamut, excitement to worry to pure distress. The warrior and bard sat with her, offering their support.

"What if something happened and Buffy didn't make it home?" The hacker's voice bordered on frantic. Gabrielle reached out to take her hand.

"Try not to worry. I'm sure everything's okay."

"Just a delay." Xena said firmly. "Buffy will see to it that you get home. You trust her, don't you?" Willow nodded and the warrior wiped a tear from the hacker's cheek. "She couldn't live without you. And I happen to know that she wouldn't want to." Xena smiled reassuringly at the hacker. Willow leaned into the warrior's side.

"Thanks." She said softly, releasing the breath she'd been holding.

Xena waved off the thank you and gave the redhead's shoulder a squeeze. "You really should try to rest."

Willow nodded. "I'll try."

Gabrielle stood up and moved their bedroll next to Willow's and the three of them settled in and said goodnight.

* * *

After a couple of restless hours, Buffy finally succumbed to her exhaustion. An emotionally charged day, the trip through the portal, and her fight with Faith had all taken a toll. Her keen slayer hearing woke her at the first sound of rattling chains.

"Awake so soon?" Buffy asked, moving across the room toward the dark slayer.

"Sorry, B. Didn't mean to wake you." Faith replied with a sly smile.

"I'm sure you didn't." Buffy snorted. "Do us all a favor and be a good girl."

"Little too late for that, doncha think?"

Buffy shrugged. "Struggle all you want. It won't do any good. When Giles wakes up, he'll call the council and you'll be on your way to England." Desperate determination replaced the lazy smile on Faith's face and the chair rocked as she strained against the chains.

"Cooperate, Faith." Buffy said, scooping the med kit from the floor and slamming it down on the counter. "Unless you'd like another shot."

Faith stopped struggling. "You can't call the council. They'll kill me, B." The brunette pleaded.

"You think I care, Faith?" Buffy paced; livid at the thought of the hell that Faith had put Willow through. "After everything you've done, do you really think I _care_ what they do to you?"

"Is this about Angel?"

"This is about WILLOW. Or did you forget? You tried to kill her -TWICE?" Buffy said through clenched teeth.

"Red's okay--"

"No thanks to you." Buffy interrupted. "What about Angel?" She asked, when Faith's question finally registered. The dark-haired slayer squirmed in the chair, avoiding Buffy's probing gaze and her question. "I asked you a question, Faith. What about Angel?"

"We got into a fight a couple days ago..." The brunette started.

"And?" Buffy prompted. Faith didn't answer. Half a minute later, like the flip of a switch, understanding registered in hazel eyes. "He lost." Buffy guessed.

Faith nodded. "And Xander, he got in the middle of things--"

Buffy jumped her then, managing to grab hold of Faith's shirtfront in spite of all of the chains covering the brunette's torso. "Xander? What did you do to him?"

"He's okay." Faith managed to say. "I swear, B." Buffy released her hold and pushed away from the brunette, trying to put a lid on her rage. "He got beat up pretty bad, but he's makin' a full recovery. I checked with the hospital--"

"Hospital?" Buffy glared at her and Faith withered under the stare.

"I didn't mean to hurt him so bad." The brunette said sincerely. "Look, I'm sorry. Okay?"

"Sorry? You're sorry?" Buffy laughed harshly. "Faith, you killed a guy and tried to pin it on me. As if that wasn't enough, you joined the bad guys, tried to kill me AND my friends, and...Angel..." Buffy's voice trailed off. "Don't you think sorry sounds a bit lame?" She asked, her eyes boring into Faith's.

Faith winced at the blunt rehash of her recent deeds, dropping her eyes to stare at the floor. The brunette's reaction seemed to enrage Buffy even more. She struggled to keep her voice down with Giles sleeping nearby. "What's the matter? Did I hurt your feelings?" She asked with mock concern. "Sorry. I didn't realize you _had_ any feelings."

Faith whipped her head up, glaring at the blonde, but words escaped her. The two stared silently at each other for a minute until Buffy turned away and walked into the kitchen. Faith craned her neck, tracking Buffy's movement, her dark eyes lingering on the blonde's butt until she disappeared into the kitchen.

With a groan and a sigh, she looked down at her restraints. A moment later, the slightest grin curled her lips at the thought of Buffy putting her in the shackles. As the object of her musings returned from the kitchen with a glass of juice, Faith shook her head to clear the mental image that was quickly making her squirm.

Buffy glanced at the clock. It was nearly five in the morning. She pulled up a chair and sat down a few feet away to keep watch over the rogue slayer. Faith watched the blonde out of the corner of her eye while Buffy simply stared off in space. Silence stretched out between them.

Buffy's thoughts were back in Ancient Greece with her heart, held captive by a beautiful redhead with engaging green eyes. Her mind wandered, replaying many of the events of the past week. She and Willow had gone from best friends to lovers in little more than a week. Put in those terms it seemed unreal, but a week in the life of the slayer and hacker is often like a year in the life of anyone else. This had been one of those weeks. Besides, Buffy reasoned, their relationship may have outwardly transformed in a week, but the entire process began nearly three years earlier when they had first met.

She thought back to that day, her first day at Sunnydale High, when she had been inexplicably drawn to Willow - a pull she had never felt with anyone else before or since. It had taken a long time - too long - but she finally understood the connection she'd felt from that first day. Buffy realized now that she had been falling in love with Willow little by little ever since then. A few near-death experiences along with a handful of nights sharing Willow's bed and all of those feelings so deeply buried had bubbled to the surface, screaming to get out.

In Buffy's silence, Faith's thoughts drifted to the man that she had accidentally staked in the alley three months earlier. The younger slayer had always been rebellious - far from a saint, but equally far from evil. Her mistake that night sparked the true beginning of her downward spiral.

Faith's outward air of confidence was largely put on. The dark slayer was a contradiction wrapped up in an enigma. Her name itself was a twisted irony. Faith _had_ no faith. The product of a shitty childhood, she didn't believe in herself and had even less trust in others. She'd been alone her whole life and had thought she always would be...until she came to Sunnydale.

Buffy had quickly become her first real friend and, soon, the object of Faith's affection. The brunette had hoped that she had a chance to win Buffy's affections - a hope that died along with the man that she had mistaken for a vampire. After that night, she knew that Buffy would never look at her the same way again. Self-destruction reigned from then on and Faith gave it her all. In three short months, the girl who had never really liked herself turned self-loathing into a fine art.

Buffy pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked at the girl in front of her. Faith wore a distressed look on her face and Buffy wondered at the change. The brunette could go from cold-blooded monster to lost little girl in the blink of an eye. For a split second, Buffy's heart went out to the little girl. When she caught herself feeling sorry for Faith, she rendered a mental slap. This was Faith, she reminded herself, a little girl maybe, but one with superhuman strength and a tendency to try to kill people. "Why'd you do it, Faith?"

"Do what?" Faith asked distantly. Considering all that she had done, the question definitely required clarification.

"Join the mayor."

The brunette shrugged. "After what happened with that guy in the alley..." Faith's voice trailed off.

"We were trying to help you with that. You just didn't care."

"I cared, B." Faith's eyes blazed. "You're the one...all you cared about was your boy-toy and Red."

"I cared about you too, Faith." Buffy said angrily. "I tried to be your friend."

The brunette laughed roughly, but her dark eyes softened. "I didn't want to be your friend, B. I wanted..." Faith stopped just short of revealing all and slowly shook her head. The words hung between them and the dark slayer averted her gaze, but not before Buffy saw the truth.

"What? What did you want Faith?" It was like a train wreck and Buffy couldn't look away. She couldn't let it go, even though in her gut she already knew the answer.

"Don't play dumb." Faith said softly, meeting the blonde's questioning gaze. "You know what I wanted. You knew all along."

"You..._me_...?" Buffy stammered. "I didn't...I didn't know."

"How could you not know, B?" Faith asked incredulously. "I followed you around like a lost puppy."

"You were new in town."

"Okay, how d'ya explain all the times I kissed you?"

Buffy paled at the comment. "You didn't _kiss me_ kiss me. You kissed me on the forehead, Faith. I thought it was just a game." Faith squeezed her eyes shut, wondering how this conversation got started in the first place and wishing that it hadn't.

"Look...forget I said anything." She said, opening hurt-filled eyes to meet Buffy's gaze. She balled her hands into fists, determined not to cry.

Buffy ignored the plea, caught up in her own thoughts. "You're the one who always said _'get some and get gone'_, Faith. You know...a different guy every night." Buffy waved her hands in the air for effect. "Do you really expect me to believe that you were..._what_? _In love with me_?" She asked in disbelief.

"Shit, B. Believe whatever you want." Faith said dejectedly, turning away from Buffy as a tear escaped and ran down her cheek. "It don't matter anyways."

"Right." Buffy agreed. The sight of Faith crying - even just a single tear - shocked Buffy to the core. Faith was _so_ not the crying type. The blonde slayer shifted in her chair feeling incredibly awkward in light of Faith's confession of love and the girl's sudden vulnerability. Buffy grew quiet, staring at the dark-haired slayer as if seeing her clearly for the first time.

Faith began to squirm under Buffy's unwavering gaze. "Think maybe you could find somethin' else to look at? I'm not that interesting."

Buffy snapped out of the stare. "Sorry. I just...I can't believe it." She shook her head, still trying to process. Some of the things Faith had done finally started to make sense...in a twisted sort of way. "Angel...and Willow...?" She wondered out loud as she started to see a pattern in Faith's choice of targets. The brunette shrugged in response. But the guilt shone on her face, leaving no doubt in Buffy's mind.

"I want you to know...I am sorry...for all of it, B. I don't expect you to forgive me or nothin'. I just needed to say it." Faith paused, glancing over at Buffy. "I'm not proud of the things I done."

"You should have told me, Faith."

"Would it of made a difference?" The brunette asked, searching the hazel eyes in front of her.

Buffy's eyes widened and she drew in a deep breath, unsure what to say. "At least I would have understood what was going on with you. We could have been friends...not enemies. None of this had to happen."

"I never was good enough." Faith said distantly.

"It was nothing like that. I liked you, Faith. We were close for a while even; at least I thought we were. I cared about you. I just...I'm in love with Willow and nothing could change that."

Faith's eyes almost bugged out. "Red? I mean, I always knew there was somethin' between you two, but with Angel and all..."

Buffy sighed. "First of all...I really wish you'd stop calling her that. Red is her hair color. Willow is her name. Wil-low." She enunciated. "And what do you mean you knew there was something between us?"

"It was wicked obvious." Faith said seriously. "Red--I mean _Willow_...hardly ever let you outta her sight, B. She was always jealous of the time you spent with me. Besides, I could just see it. The way you acted around each other, you know?"

Buffy chuckled in disbelief. "How long have you known?"

"Let's see...I came to Sunnydale in October. So, 'bout seven months I guess."

"Ever since you got here?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow at the brunette.

Faith nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Like I said, wicked obvious."

Buffy shook her head. It was a little unsettling to think that Faith had known about her feelings for Willow before she had even figured it out herself. She decided a change of topic was in order. "Anyway, as I was saying before...it was nothing personal against you, Faith. I did care about you." Buffy paused, grinning at her next thought. "For future reference...if you want a girl to know you like her, attempted murder is not the best way to show it." Buffy shook her head. "I mean, I know you're a slayer, but still..._not_ the best way to woo a woman." For the first time in months, Faith smiled a genuine smile. "You should have talked to me. I'd still be with Willow...but we could have all been friends."

The brunette gave a slow nod of agreement, turning suddenly silent. The sincerity in Buffy's voice made Faith feel like utter trash for the way she'd treated her. She wondered how Buffy could still be nice to her after all that she had done. Willow's words came back to her then, the things the redhead had said earlier that week in the mayor's office. _'You had a lot more in your life than some people. I mean, you had friends in your life like Buffy.'_ It was true. Buffy had tried to be her friend and, like a fool, she had thrown it all away. Regret crashed over her in waves until she thought she might drown. She drifted away, lost in her thoughts, wishing that she had it all to do over again.

A minute later, Giles' voice broke through the silence. "Buffy?"

"Yeah, Giles. I'm here." Buffy said, walking into the living room. "Feeling any better?"

"Perhaps a little. Is everything all right? Faith?"

"It's all under control." Buffy nodded. "Not to seem pushy or anything, but when can we do the spell again? I'm sure Will's wondering what happened to me and I'd kinda like to get her home ASAP."

"Of course. We should start right away." A wave of dizziness hit him as he tried to stand up and Buffy reached out to steady him, guiding him back down to the couch.

"Don't take this the wrong way...but don't you at least need enough strength to stand up if we want the spell to work?"

"Quite right." Giles nodded. "And I'll need some more sacred sand from the magic shop." He remembered.

"What time do they open?" Buffy asked, looking at the clock to find that it was going on seven o'clock.

"Ten, I believe." The watcher answered. "Did you get any sleep, Buffy?"

"Not much." The slayer admitted. "I was worried about Will and keeping Faith company."

"You should get some rest."

She shook her head. "I'm all right. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you at 9:30 and you can stay with Faith while I go to the magic shop." Giles started to protest, trying again to rise from the couch, but Buffy put up a hand to stop him. "You need to get your strength up for the spell." The watcher relented, sinking back to the sofa.

* * *

Willow tossed and turned through the night, sleeping very little. At daybreak, she gave up all hope of rest and sat up on her bedroll, looking around the camp. She shivered as the chill in the air finally registered and she wrapped her arms around herself, immediately wishing they were Buffy's arms instead. She'd grown quite used to the love and warmth of Buffy's embrace, she realized.

They'd been apart for no more than eight or ten hours she guessed, but it seemed more like days or weeks. Not knowing where Buffy was or if she was safe made every minute drag on torturously. The nagging fear that she may never see her again, well, that was just plain unbearable and she forced the thought out of her mind every time it crept in.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, rocking gently back and forth as she stared at the last dying embers of their campfire. Her mind, in true Willow style, sped a hundred miles an hour playing over all of the possibilities. If she'd been capable of speech, which she wasn't at the moment, it would have surely been an endless string of incoherent babbling - the worst case she'd ever had. But in her current emotional state, she was uncharacteristically speechless - almost catatonic, held prisoner by the thoughts and fears that flooded her mind.

It was in this state that Xena found her when the first light fell on the warrior's face and pulled her out of her slumber. She carefully removed herself from the bard's embrace and sat up next to Willow. The redhead's body was rigid with stress and the look on her face made the warrior's heart ache for her friend. Seeing Willow shiver against the cold, Xena instinctively wrapped an arm around the hacker's shoulders.

"Did you get any sleep?" Willow tried for a verbal response, but couldn't quite form words yet, so instead she shook her head. "I didn't think so."

Not knowing what to else to say, but wanting to offer some form of comfort, the warrior pulled her into a hug. Her arms couldn't replace Buffy's, but there was an unmistakable feeling of safety associated with being held by Xena and Willow sank into the embrace, sighing softly as she started to relax.

Xena simply held her for a minute or two before finally pulling back slightly to meet Willow's eyes. "You know, if we keep this up, somebody could get the wrong idea." The warrior joked, a teasing smile playing at her lips. Her words had the desired effect as Willow's face first registered the trademark shock, then a small, but genuine, smile.

"You've been hanging around Buffy too long." Willow declared, giving the warrior a playful shove.

"I know." Xena said with a conspiratorial smile. "She's been good for me, though. Don't you think?" Willow nodded shyly, looking up into soft blue eyes. "She always knows how to make you smile. So, I thought I'd give it a try."

"Well, it worked. And, not an easy feat right now, I might add." The hacker said, her smile slowly working its way up to her green eyes.

"I've learned a lot from you and Buffy." Xena said, her tone turning suddenly philosophical. "Your lives are so much like mine and Gabrielle's. It's hard to believe." The warrior paused, capturing Willow's gaze. "Before we met you, I didn't laugh much. The kind of life we all lead...it has a way of taking a toll. Maybe I embraced the misery, thought it was all part of the warrior life." Xena shrugged and Willow nodded in understanding. "But Buffy leads the same kind of life I do and she handles it better. She's happier. Watching the two of you, I realized I've been letting life pass me by. So, I'm making it my business from now on to be more like Buffy." The warrior said decidedly.

"Wow. I don't think I've ever heard you say that much at once before." Willow teased. Xena grinned at the truth in the comment. "You're not gonna kiss me now, are you?" The hacker asked with mock concern followed by a crooked grin. "Cause...that's what Buffy would do."

Xena smiled down at the redhead with mischief in her eyes. "I would, but Gabrielle might kill us both."

Willow chuckled appreciatively. "You're really getting good at this." She said with a decisive nod. "Buffy would be proud."

"You can tell her all about it when you see her." Xena brushed a strand of hair back from Willow's face and lifted the redhead's chin to meet her gaze. "And tell her I said she's lucky to have you." The hacker blushed and rested her head on Xena's shoulder.

The bard rolled toward them, groaning as the sun made its presence known. "Wake up, Gabrielle, or I'm going to get my good morning kiss from Willow." Xena teased. The bard's eyes flew open to find the warrior and hacker both smiling down at her. She slapped Xena's thigh, but her lips formed a grin in spite of her efforts to look stern.

"She's always grumpy in the morning." The warrior said turning to Willow.

The bard sat up then, her orneriness fully awake. "I'll admit that I'm not much of a morning person, but it doesn't help matters when I wake up to find another woman in your arms, what, three days into our relationship?"

"She does have a point." Willow said, smiling up at the warrior. "You should probably kiss her...make her forget all about this." The redhead added, waving her hand in Gabrielle's direction.

* * *

Buffy reached out to touch the watcher's shoulder. "Giles. Wakey-wakey. Time to get up."

"Is it half past nine already?" He asked in a sleepy voice.

"Yep. Do you think you'll be ready to do the spell in about an hour?" Buffy asked anxiously. "Cause I'm sure Willow is freaked, you know? I mean I vanished last night with no warning and she's still stuck there. I'm sure she'd like to come home pretty much right now."

"I'm sure you're right, Buffy. And yes, to answer your question, I think I'll be strong enough to cast the spell. I just need to wake up a bit and I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Good."

"How is Faith?" The watcher sat up, suddenly remembering his shackled houseguest.

"She's okay. You have the med kit if you need it, but I don't think Faith's going to give you any trouble." Buffy said, casting a glance at the dark-haired slayer.

Giles followed Buffy's gaze and saw Faith shake her head. "Nah. No more trouble." The brunette said softly. The watcher cast a questioning glance at Buffy wondering how she had managed to tame the rogue slayer while he was sleeping.

It was a discussion for another time, Buffy decided. Right now, getting Willow home was all that mattered. "Is there anything else you want while I'm out besides sacred sand? Cause if not...I'm gonna book."

Giles shook his head and Buffy strode toward the door, pushing the desk aside with ease, and made her way out of the apartment, walking determinedly toward the magic shop.

"Well," Giles started, addressing the dark slayer uncertainly. "How are you feeling, Faith?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, G?" The brunette asked, surveying the cuts and bruises on the watcher's swollen, battered face.

Giles stared at her with a puzzled expression, trying to gauge the sincerity of the girl's words. "Yes...I suppose you're right. I'm, uh, feeling much better. Thank you for asking."

"I know it don't really change nothin', but for what it's worth...I'm sorry."

Giles looked utterly dumbfounded by the suddenly repentant slayer. He searched his memory for the last time he'd seen Faith like this and could only come up with...never. He'd _never_ seen the insolent brunette so humbled. "Yes, well, I'm pleased to see that you're feeling a bit calmer. I believe I will make some tea. Would you like something?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks though."

* * *

"I come bearing magic sand." Buffy announced, breezing through the door. "So...are we ready to make with the mojo and bring Will home?"

Giles looked up at the impatient blonde. "First, can I speak with you for a moment, Buffy?" He asked, gesturing toward the hallway.

Buffy shrugged. "Sure." She followed the watcher down the hall and into the guest bedroom. Once inside, Giles closed the door and turned to Buffy. "So...what's the up?" The slayer looked at him curiously.

"Would you mind telling me what you did to Faith while I was sleeping?"

"I didn't _do_ anything to Faith. We just talked."

Giles looked unconvinced. "It must have been some chat. Do you plan to enlighten me?"

"Well..." Buffy began with a shrug. "I don't know. We talked about a lot of things. She's been having trouble dealing ever since she killed that guy by mistake. It's hard to explain, but I think we've come to an understanding."

Giles waited for her to continue. When he realized that she didn't plan to elaborate, he glared at her for a moment before pulling off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Surely you can do better than that."

Buffy shrugged. "Turns out she was having some personal issues and didn't feel like she could talk to me. Besides, you know Faith...she doesn't ask for help." Buffy paused, meeting the watcher's gaze. "And you know, she blamed herself for killing that guy, even though it was an accident, and she thought we wouldn't accept her anymore. Hence the joining the bad guys and the lashing out at us."

Giles looked at her like she had three heads. "What? I can't know some things?" Buffy smiled at to the look on the watcher's face. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

"Right. Of course." Giles said, still looking at Buffy in awe of her explanation. "So, what's going to happen now? With Faith? Is she going to cooperate with the council?"

"She seems genuinely sorry. So, yeah, I think she'll cooperate." Buffy nodded, moving toward the door. "Why don't we ask her?"

"Um, one moment." Giles said, stopping her departure. "Did she happen to mention anything about Xander or Angel?"

"She told me." Buffy nodded, her expression cloudy. "Is Xander okay?"

"He'll be fine." Giles assured her. "Cordelia has been keeping him company and I believe he's doing much better."

"Good." Buffy said. "When we get Willow back, we'll have to go see him."

"And Buffy...about Angel, I'm sorry." Giles said softly, reaching out to put a hand on the slayer's shoulder. "If you need to talk, I'll be here."

Buffy nodded. Her vision blurred as she met his concerned gaze, but she held back the tears. It was a sad thing - Angel being gone. Buffy knew there was good in the vampire, but she'd also seen his dark side. Angel would be missed by some, but the world was undoubtedly a safer place without the threat of Angelus.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy turned and walked out of the room. She ducked into the bathroom to regain her composure. She ran the water ice cold and splashed it on her face, leaning against the sink with a sigh. When she re-entered the living room a minute later, Faith looked up.

"B, I didn't wanna say nothin' earlier...but I kinda need to go to the bathroom and...." She trailed off, glancing down at her restraints meaningfully.

Buffy followed her gaze, realizing the obvious problem. "Right. Giles...the keys?"

"You can't be serious."

"Any other suggestions?" Buffy asked pointedly. Giles just looked at her with a puzzled expression. She turned to Faith. "Are you planning on making a break for it?"

Faith shook her head. "Nah. I'm tired of runnin'." The dark slayer looked up at Giles. "Like I told B, I done a lot of things I'm not proud of. It's time I face the consequences."

"See." Buffy said, directing her statement at a stunned Giles. "Keys please." The watcher hesitated, then moved to the desk and rummaged through the bottom drawer. Moments later, he handed the keys to Buffy and stood back cautiously as she freed Faith from the intricate makeshift prison.

"Thanks." Faith said, slowly rising from the chair. She locked dark eyes on hazel and Giles watched as a silent understanding flowed between the two slayers. Finally, Faith turned and walked down the hall to the bathroom and Buffy focused her attention on Giles.

"Why don't you call the council and set things up?" She suggested. He stood there, still stunned by recent events. "In this lifetime, Giles. Willow's waiting, you know." The irritation in her voice jarred him out of his daze.

"Quite right." He said nervously, moving toward the telephone.

Fifteen minutes later, Faith sat in the armchair in the corner of the living room, quietly waiting for the council's arrival, allowing Buffy and Giles to concentrate on preparations for the spell. Within minutes, the watcher nodded to Buffy that he was ready to begin. She stood waiting impatiently, mentally crossing her fingers, as Giles shifted ingredients around on the worktable and finally began to chant.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky overhead as Xena, Gabrielle and Willow sat by the lakeshore. The morning had been an odd one with the three friends alternating between moments of laughter and tears. Willow sensed it first and a relieved smile spread over her face when the portal began to open. She leapt to her feet, throwing her arms first around Gabrielle and then Xena.

"Buffy made it. She's home. It's time." Words spilled from the redhead's mouth and she was genuinely surprised that she sounded halfway coherent. The warrior and bard both nodded. "Take care of each other." Willow added, feeling the magic calling her home.

"You too." Xena replied.

* * *

"Willow?" Buffy called, racing to her girlfriend's side as she materialized on the floor near the front door and the temporal fold closed. Giles collapsed against the wall, exhausted from the spell, and watched as the slayer knelt by Willow's side.

A grin formed on the hacker's lips as she registered whose voice was saying her name. Buffy leaned over the redhead, brushing her fingertips across the silky skin of Willow's cheek and sparkling green eyes fluttered open to meet her gaze. The blonde pulled her into a crushing embrace with an audible sigh of relief. "Oh god, Will."

"Miss me?" Willow managed to ask just before Buffy's lips captured her own.

The next minute would forever be burned in Giles' brain, filled with images of a reunion that the stuffy British watcher would rather not have witnessed - images of the slayer and hacker wrapped in each other's arms, their lips locked in a heated kiss.

****

* * *

Continued in Chapter 14

A/N: So, what do you think? Some of you seemed really worried about Willow. You didn't really think I'd hurt my favorite redhead, did you? As for my faithful reviewer who guessed some of my plans for Faith in this chapter...how did you know? I didn't think anyone had a clue.


	14. Homecoming Out

**Chapter 14 - Homecoming...Out**

Shock rendered the watcher's higher brain functions inoperative and speech was impossible. Instead he cleared his throat, hoping to break up the intimate homecoming. The kisses and cooing and whispers of love continued, both girls seemingly oblivious to his presence. He tried again...and again. On his third attempt, Buffy turned toward him with a smirk.

"That's _really_ annoying, Giles. We heard you the first time, you know."

Willow followed Buffy's gaze, her eyes widening when she noticed the watcher's presence. "Uh...Giles...hi." She said, her voice barely more than a squeak.

The watcher blushed along with her and he finally found his voice. "Willow...good to have you back." He said shakily, turning his attention to his glasses, which he pulled off and began vigorously cleaning.

In the next instant, the hacker saw the other person in the room and her eyes narrowed. "_Faith_." Willow stared at the dark slayer, assuming a protective stance in front of Buffy.

"It's okay, Will." Buffy said, smiling at the redhead's instinct to protect her. The hacker looked at her quizzically. "Faith's waiting for the council. She's turning herself in." The stunned redhead looked from Buffy to Faith, then back to Buffy, still not quite believing what she'd been told. "I can explain it all later." Buffy assured her.

Giles donned his glasses and stepped forward. When Willow got a good look at his bruised face, she gasped. "What...what happened? Are you all right?" Her legs were feeling a bit weak and she began to sway. Buffy reached out to steady her.

"No need to worry. I'm fine." Giles assured her. "Perhaps we should all sit down and chat."

Buffy nodded her agreement and led the redhead into the living room. Willow hesitated as they moved closer to Faith's location. The sofa that Buffy was leading her to seemed all too near where the dark slayer sat in the neighboring armchair. With some amount of coaxing, Buffy finally managed to convince the hacker to sit at the end of the couch that was farthest from Faith, and she sat next to her redhead - a sort of buffer between the two. Giles pulled up a chair and sat down across from them.

"All right. Which one of you would like to start?" The watcher asked, leveling his gaze at the slayer and hacker.

"Start?" Buffy asked. "You really don't expect us to tell you every detail of the past week, do you? Cause we're pretty much exhausted."

"Just the highlights will do for now." Giles conceded. "We can cover it in more detail another time."

Buffy and Willow took turns telling the watcher the abridged version of the story about the warrior and bard, where and when they came from, how they met in the cemetery, the spell, etc. Both girls were waning fast. Willow leaned heavily into Buffy's side looking like she might fall asleep any minute, except for the suspicious glare she kept aimed at Faith nearly the entire time. Buffy yawned as she told of their encounter with Bacchus and her slaying of the demonic God of Wine and his vampish followers.

Giles looked at the two girls, drained from their ordeal. "I believe that'll do for now. Why don't you two go home and get some rest."

"Great idea." Buffy said. "But we should wait until the council gets here."

"That won't be necessary. Faith and I will be fine." Giles assured her, turning to the dark-haired slayer for confirmation.

"Sure. No problem, B." Faith put in.

With another look at the watcher who nodded his agreement, Buffy gave in. "Okay. We'll be at Will's house. Call us if you need anything."

"Of course." Giles nodded, following them toward the door. "And Buffy...I know you're tired, but you really should patrol tonight. While you were away, there was a fairly drastic increase in vampire activity."

"Right...back to work. Can't wait." She said sarcastically as she took Willow's hand and led her out of the house.

"Alone at last." Buffy said with a sigh, pausing on the stoop to pull the hacker into her arms.

"Does that mean I get a kiss?" Willow smiled a sweet little smile and wrapped her arms around Buffy's waist.

"Definitely." The slayer smiled, placing a soft kiss on the redhead's waiting lips. One kiss turned into two, then three until they lost themselves in the moment. "I _really_ missed you." Buffy said breathlessly.

"I missed you too." Willow blushed at the memory of the kiss they had shared earlier. "But...I still can't believe you kissed me like that in front of Giles."

"Sorry. I was just so happy to see you...I didn't really think about it." Buffy said, taking Willow's hand in hers and leading her down the walk toward the street. "But look on the bright side...one less person we have to tell about us."

"That's true." Willow admitted. "So, where are we headed?"

"I thought we might stop by my house so I can get some clean clothes and write my mom a note. Then, I thought maybe your house, for a nice nap. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good. We probably should get some rest if you have to patrol tonight." Willow said. "I didn't really sleep last night. I was worried and missing you too much."

"I missed you more." Buffy countered.

Willow shook her head. "Not possible. I spent the night alone, camping with the wolves."

"You weren't alone. You had Xena and Gabrielle. Besides...I spent the night with _Faith_."

"Buffy! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Willow's head snapped up to meet the slayer's gaze with wide green eyes.

"What?" Buffy shot her a confused look.

"You spent the night with Faith. That's what."

"Oh that." Buffy shrugged. "No big. I had her tied up all night." Willow gasped in shock and her eyes nearly bugged out. "Now whose mind's in the gutter?" Buffy prodded. "She was shackled to a chair, Will. It wasn't exactly a good time..." A slight smirk appeared on the slayer's lips. "At least not for me, but you know Faith...."

"Oh." A stormy expression took up residence on Willow's face.

"Don't tell me you're jealous of _Faith_...you should know me better than that."

"Its not _you_ I'm worried about, Buffy. It's her. Faith was always after you." Willow said grumpily.

Buffy was getting an education this day. Faith had known about Willow. Willow had known about Faith. "You knew? Why am I always the last to know?" 

"She didn't exactly try to hide it, Buffy. That's part of why Faith and I never got along so well."

"You thought I had a thing for her?" Buffy asked, coming to a halt on the sidewalk and turning toward the redhead.

Willow looked down at her feet. "It may have crossed my mind a few...hundred times." She said softly.

Buffy smiled and kissed the pouting redhead softly on the lips. "Believe me, Faith was never more than a friend. I didn't even know about her..._more-than-friendly_ feelings toward me until today."

"If you'd known before...do you think things would have been different?" Willow asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"I mean...if you knew she wanted you, you know, before she went all evil, would you..." Willow trailed off, not wanting to verbalize the rest.

"God, no." Buffy said, pulling the hacker close. "Why would you think that?"

"She's pretty, Buffy. And she's a slayer, like you. You shared things with her that you couldn't with me. She's all confident and strong a-and sexy and everything I'm not. Everybody wanted her. Even Xander."

"Sorry to be blunt, Will, but Xander is an idiot." Buffy said, brushing aside a lock of red hair and resting her hand on Willow's cheek. "Yes, Faith is easy on the eyes...but she's not my type. And you are gorgeous...and exactly my type."

"Really?"

"Really. And just for the record...Faith could take lessons from you on how to be sexy."

"That's really sweet...but have ya _seen_ Faith?"

"I have. And I find her a little crude. A lot crude actually...which may attract all the boys, _but_...kind of a turn off for me." Buffy said decidedly.

Willow breathed a sigh of relief. "You don't go for the skanky? Cause I don't think I could ever..." Her voice trailed off as Buffy started to chuckle.

"I really don't find it appealing." The slayer drawled. "I do have a weakness for adorable redheads, though...and there's one in particular that I kinda have a thing for."

"Me?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Only you." Buffy smiled, bringing their lips together for a brief kiss. A dreamy smile lit the hacker's face and she drew Buffy into an urgent kiss.

"Okay...we better go." The blonde said, drawing in a ragged breath. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Willow grinned playfully. "Thinking of having your way with me in broad daylight again?"

"Actually, I was." Buffy chuckled.

* * *

"Angel's really...gone?" Willow asked as they made their way through the front door of her house.

"I know. It's hard to believe." Buffy said, dropping her overnight bag on the floor and collapsing on the couch.

"I'm so sorry, Buffy." Willow said, settling on the sofa beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I will be."

"Anything I can do?" Willow asked softly.

"Hold me?" The redhead opened her arms and Buffy snuggled in with a sigh. They sat for a minute or two quietly enjoying the embrace. Buffy finally broke the silence. "At least Xand is okay. I thought we'd go by the hospital and see him tonight if you want."

"Good idea." The hacker said with a yawn.

Buffy got to her feet and held out her hand. "Come on. Time for bed."

Willow grinned and took the offered hand. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

The slayer woke to the blaring of the alarm. She tried to reach out to turn it off but Willow had a firm hold on her. "Will...the alarm." Buffy said, kissing the redhead's cheek. "Time to get up, sweetie." She tried again and still got no response.

Finally giving up, she wiggled her way out of the hacker's arms and silenced the obnoxious noise. As soon as she left the bed, Willow began to stir, pouting when she reached out and couldn't find her girlfriend. Buffy smiled at the sight and jumped back on the bed, pouncing on the unsuspecting hacker.

"It's 6:00..." Buffy whispered in Willow's ear, making the redhead squirm. "Wanna take a shower with me?"

Suddenly wide-awake, the hacker's eyes popped open to stare at the teasing blonde. "That's okay...you go ahead. I can wait." Willow said sheepishly.

"I really don't mind sharing." Buffy said with a playful grin.

Willow chuckled nervously. "No, really, you go first. I-I think I'll go and order pizza or something. Is extra cheese okay?"

"Sounds good." Buffy laughed and kissed the flustered redhead before hopping off the bed. "I'll try to be quick...but after a week in the great outdoors, the whole grooming process could take a while."

* * *

Freshly showered and dressed, they curled up on the sofa with the pizza and talked about all that they had missed of the modern world.

"Running water."

"Shampoo."

"Deodorant."

"Definitely deodorant." Buffy agreed. "Pizza."

"Mochas." Willow added enthusiastically.

"Uh huh...gotta have mochas soon. And ice cream."

"Your cherry lip gloss." The redhead said dreamily.

Buffy chuckled. "How could you miss that? The first time we kissed was in Greece and I didn't have it."

"True..." Willow said with a blushing grin, "but I used to dream about kissing you and in my dreams you were usually wearing it."

"I see. Well, that's one dream that I can make come true." Buffy smiled, leaning in to give the redhead a taste of her cherry lips. The slayer almost dropped her pizza when Willow captured her lower lip between her own and softly ran her tongue across it. All thoughts of dinner and everything else were momentarily forgotten.

"So, how was it?" Buffy asked a bit breathlessly when they finally separated.

The redhead wore a blissful smile. "Even better than I imagined."

Buffy smiled adoringly at her. "That good, huh?"

"Every time you kiss me is like a dream come true." Willow declared. "No lip gloss required."

Buffy snatched the slice of pizza from Willow's hand and tossed it back in the box along with her own. The hacker looked at her surprised. Buffy shifted her position, pushing Willow down on the couch. "What?" The redhead asked.

"First you kiss me like that." The blonde demonstrated her point with a lingering kiss that left the redhead feeling woozy. "Then you say such sweet things." Buffy brought their lips together again, another slow, tender, teasing kiss that left them both breathless. "How's a girl supposed to concentrate on dinner?"

"Sorry." Willow said with an impish grin. "If it'd help, I could try not to say anything nice while you finish your pizza."

"Okay. We can try that." Buffy sighed, stealing one last kiss before pushing herself up into a sitting position. She handed Willow's pizza back and the redhead gave her a shy smile that made the slayer's heart flutter. "And while you're at it...try not to be so darn cute."

* * *

"This is it. Room 218." Willow said, approaching the door. Buffy knocked and pushed it open and peered into the room.

"Buffy?"

"Hey, Xand." Buffy greeted him, taking Willow's hand and walking into the room.

"Willow?"

"Hi." Willow gave a small wave.

"You guys are back. We were so worried about you."

"Us? You're the one in the hospital. How are you feeling?" Buffy asked, approaching the bed with Willow at her side.

"Much better. Cordy's been taking good care of me." He said, flashing the brunette a goofy grin.

"Somebody had to take care of him while you two were off traipsing around god knows where." Cordelia griped. "Did you enjoy your little vacation?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it a vacation." Buffy remarked.

"Yeah, we were fighting ancient vampire type girls a-and a demonic god and we had to sleep outside on the ground." Willow added defensively.

"Down girl." Buffy teased, squeezing the redhead's hand.

"Ancient vampire girls?" Xander asked with a gulp.

"Called Bacchae." Willow nodded.

"They could fly." Buffy added. "Hard to catch and hard to kill."

"And for a few hours, I was a Bacchae." Willow put in.

"What do you mean?" Xander asked, staring wide-eyed at the hacker.

"Gabrielle got bit and then she bit Willow." Buffy explained.

"Yeah. Xena and Buffy fought Bacchus - the demon god - and when Buffy killed him, we turned back into ourselves."

Xander looked at Cordelia with a worried expression. "How many pain pills have I had today? I think I'm hallucinating."

"No. It's not you. They aren't making any sense." The brunette said snippily.

"It's not important." Buffy said.

"Yeah. We're just glad you're doing better." Willow added.

"How long 'til you get to go home?" Buffy asked.

"If all goes well with my check-up in the morning, I could be going home tomorrow afternoon."

"That's good news." Willow said. "Is there anything we can get for you while we're here? Anything you need?"

"Nope. I'm just glad to have you back. I missed you guys. And this town was really falling apart without you, Buff."

"So I've heard. I still have to go on patrol tonight." Buffy said with a slight frown. "Speaking of which...we should probably get going."

"Right...things to slay." Xander nodded.

They said their good-byes and soon Buffy and Willow made their way toward the door. Xander watched them walk away, hand in hand, and noticed the smiles and whispers they shared at the doorway before they disappeared down the hall. "Did they seem strange to you?" He asked, turning to Cordelia.

"They're always strange, Xander." The brunette commented absently. "You're all a bunch of freaks, you know."

"Thanks...but that's not what I meant." He said dryly. "Something was definitely different...."

"You mean the looks, the whispers, the hand holding...?" Cordy asked.

"Exactly. I wonder what that was all about."

Cordelia rolled her eyes at a clueless Xander. "Dense much?"

* * *

"Slayer!"

"The one and only." Buffy said, planting a high kick to the vamp's face. "Er...one of two technically."

"I thought you were dead." The vampire said, scrambling toward her again. Two more kicks and the vamp dropped to the ground.

"Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Buffy quipped, plunging the stake into his undead heart. She stood up and pocketed her stake. "That was kind of a lame quip, huh?"

"Not at all, Buff." Willow said reassuringly. "It's _totally_ a classic."

"You think I'm losing my touch?" The slayer asked, putting an arm around the redhead.

"Never." Willow said with a wide smile.

"You're too good to me." Buffy said with a winsome smile. "So...ready to call it a night?"

Willow nodded. "Tomorrow's Monday, isn't it?" She frowned. Buffy nodded. "School, huh?"

"Unless you wanna stay home with me instead?"

"Tempting...but we've missed four days already." Willow said sadly.

"Speaking of which, are you going to help me catch up?"

"Sure. You know I love to help."

"Great. So...you gonna stay home with me tomorrow?" Buffy asked hopefully. Willow chuckled at the slayer's persistence. "I promise this time no spells of any kind. Just junk food and TV and anything else you want."

"Anything...?" Willow asked with a sly smile.

The slayer captured the redhead in a warm embrace and gazed into mischievous green eyes. "Whatever your heart desires."

Willow's heart seemed to like the promise, suddenly picking up a dancing beat. "Only a fool would pass up an offer like that...and _I'm_ no fool."

****

* * *

Continued in Chapter 15


	15. Midnight, Mayhem & Mochas

**Chapter 15 – Midnight, Mayhem & Mochas**

_We met them in the dark of night in a burial ground in the distant future. They call her the chosen one. One girl in all the world called upon to fight the vampires and the demons. Her name is Buffy, the Vampire slayer. She traveled with another, a girl named Willow whose gift was not that of a warrior, but of one who can harness the power of mystical forces. This is the tale of a fateful journey that began in a strange, new land…_

The bard looked up from her scroll with a wistful sigh. "Do you miss them, Xena?"

The warrior nodded and met Gabrielle's gaze with thoughtful blue eyes. "Surprising just how much."

The bard set aside the quill and parchment and moved closer to Xena's side. "It was an amazing journey, wasn't it?"

A quiet smile crossed the warrior's face. "Yes. It was." She sheathed her sword as the bard approached and focused her attention on the strawberry-blonde. "How is your scroll coming along?"

Gabrielle shook her head uncertainly. "There's so much that I want to say. I don't really know where to begin."

"Do you know what makes you a great bard?" Xena asked, taking Gabrielle's hand in hers. The bard shrugged in reply. "Your stories always come from your heart, Gabrielle. Remember that and the words will come to you."

"I'm afraid my heart doesn't understand how limited our supply of parchment is." Gabrielle said with a wry smile.

"Don't worry about that." Xena said decisively. "Every village in Greece has parchment for sale. And if you fill all of that, there are other lands that we can travel to."

Gabrielle searched the warrior's blue eyes for any hint of amusement but found only sincerity. "I know that you think I talk too much…but really Xena, do you seriously think I could fill all of the parchment in Greece?" She teased, slipping into the familiar banter that they had hidden their feelings beneath in the past.

"I do." The warrior said thoughtfully, meeting the bard's gaze. "You have the biggest heart I've ever known, Gabrielle."

The bard gave a soft smile and put her arms around Xena's waist as she snuggled into the warrior's side. Xena sighed contentedly and buried her face in soft strawberry-blonde hair, rubbing soothing circles on the bard's back. Gabrielle shifted to look into tender blue eyes. "I love you, Xena."

The warrior echoed the words in a breathless voice as her lover's hands sought the clasps of her breastplate. With skill that comes from years of practice, the bard easily stripped away the hard outer shell to reach the softness of the woman beneath.

* * *

The slayer and hacker left the cemetery and walked toward the Rosenberg home, arm in arm. Both girls were quiet, lost in thought until Buffy finally broke the silence. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…." She cast a sideways glance at the redhead.

"Okay…shoot." Willow said slowly, wondering at the serious tone in the slayer's voice.

Buffy drew in a deep breath and looked up at the redhead with a flirtatious smile. "I was kinda wondering if you would wanna go to Prom with me?"

"Really?" Willow asked, bringing them to an abrupt halt on the sidewalk, looking at her girlfriend with wide green eyes.

"Yes, really." Buffy chuckled. "Why are you so surprised?"

"Like a…a real date?" Willow asked skittishly.

"Yes, a real date." The blonde confirmed, suddenly doubting the wisdom of her offer. "But if you don't want to…it's okay."

"But I do want. I _really_ want." The hacker rushed to explain. "I'm just surprised that you would want to."

"What?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Why?"

The hacker started walking again, staring down at the sidewalk as she searched for the words. "After everything that happened while we were away, suddenly being back home…I guess I-I didn't know what to expect." Willow said sheepishly, daring to steal just a tiny glance at the blonde.

Now it was Buffy's turn to pause. She slowed to a stop and stared off into the night as if searching for the answer to some unknown question before turning her gaze back to the redhead who paced nervously in front of her. "Do you regret what happened in Greece?" Buffy finally asked quietly.

The hacker stopped in her tracks and turned to face her girlfriend. "Me?" Willow asked wide-eyed. "Noooo. No way, Buffy."

"You think I regret it?" The slayer asked, searching the hacker's face. Willow shrugged her reply and focused her attention on a nearby patch of grass. "That's it?" Buffy asked, finally really seeing the insecure redhead in front of her. "Uh uh." The slayer shook her head decidedly and reached out to capture the hacker's hand with one of her own. "Come here." Buffy coaxed the redhead closer and lifted her chin to look into uncertain green eyes. "Hey…nothing has changed. I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Buffy." The hacker replied softly, basking in the love in the hazel eyes in front of her. The slayer held her close and kissed away any lingering fears.

When they parted, Buffy smiled at the dreamy expression on the redhead's face. "Now…I'm going to ask you a question and I expect a better answer this time."

Willow put a finger to Buffy's lips. "Wait. Me first." The redhead paused to take a deep breath, then launched into full babble-mode. "Being the most beautiful girl in school and all, I'm sure you've had a dozen offers and this is kinda late notice, but I was wondering if you would consider going to the Prom with me?" Buffy chuckled. "Wait. I'm not done." Willow said with a playful grin. "You don't have to answer right away. Just, while you're considering my offer…keep in mind that I love you."

Buffy laughed through the rest of the redhead's speech. "You finished?" She asked with a wide smile.

"Uh huh."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

Buffy nodded. "You. Me. The Prom." Willow's face lit up with a goofy grin. "Just one condition…" The blonde quickly added.

"Condition?" The hacker's expression changed to one of concern. "What condition?"

"_You_ have to wear the tux." Buffy pointed decisively at her girlfriend. "Because I already bought my dress and I look _totally_ fabulous in it."

The redhead swallowed hard. "Tux?" The hacker squeaked.

Buffy laughed. "Kidding…I was just kidding, Will."

As the color returned to the hacker's face, so did a sly smile. "You know…if one of us had to wear a tux, it would definitely be you, Buff."

"What? Why?"

"Because…" The redhead beamed. "You're _way_ more butch than I am."

The blonde chuckled. "You think so, do you?"

"Uh huh." Willow nodded. "What with the leather and the slaying a-and…" The rest of her words were forgotten when Buffy captured her lips in a long kiss. The hacker melted into her girlfriend's embrace and both girls lost all sense of place and time.

The feeling of Willow pulling away brought Buffy back to her senses. As the slayer opened her eyes, she saw the reason for the abrupt end to the kissage – an ugly vamp in serious need of some dental care was holding the hacker hostage.

The slayer pulled her stake and lunged toward them but missed her mark when a powerful kick sent her crashing to the ground with a groan and her stake skidding across the sidewalk. Only then did Buffy realize that there were two vampires. Willow screamed and struggled against her attacker. The slayer tried to get to her feet only to be brought down again by another kick from the vamp.

Seeing the vampire pin Buffy to the ground, the hacker decided that it was up to her to do something. She remembered some advice Xena had given to Gabrielle – _when you're in a bind, do what you do best _– and so in true Willow style, she began to babble. "Hey you." The vampire paused in his descent toward Buffy's throat and looked up. "Yeah, you…you don't want to do that." The redhead shook her head ominously.

"Why? She looks like a tasty morsel to me."

"She…she has…blood poisoning." Willow said authoritatively.

The vamp looked momentarily confused as Buffy struggled beneath him. "Blood poisoning can't hurt me." He grinned.

"Yeah well, what about that…stake?" The hacker asked just as the slayer plunged it into his unsuspecting heart.

Buffy was on her feet even before the vamp dematerialized. The vampire holding Willow offered an angry growl at the turn of events. "You're gonna pay for that, Slayer."

Buffy tossed her stake aside and simply shrugged. "Well, come on then. Make me pay." Shoving Willow aside, he moved toward Buffy. As soon as the redhead was out of his grasp, the slayer landed a powerful roundhouse kick that sent the vamp sprawling into the street.

"Buffy!"

In one fluid motion, the slayer caught the stake that Willow tossed and turned to put the weapon in the vamp's path as he barreled toward her. "Thanks, Sweetie." She said as the last bad guy came to a dusty end on the wooden point.

Relieved, Willow rushed into Buffy's arms and nearly knocked the slayer off her feet. The blonde groaned in pain and nearly collapsed on the sidewalk. "Oh, Buffy…" Willow pulled away. "You're hurt."

The slayer took a shallow breath and held her aching side. "I'm okay." She offered weakly.

"No. Buffy, you're bleeding." Panic washed over the hacker's features.

"It's no big. Really…let's just go before we get any more company." Willow nodded her agreement and remained quiet as they walked the few blocks back to her house.

* * *

The slayer perched on the counter beside the bathroom sink as Willow opened the first aid kit. The color drained from the hacker's face as she surveyed Buffy's left side, still obscured by her blood-soaked T-shirt.

"Hey, are you okay?" Buffy asked softly, seeing the stormy expression on her girlfriend's face.

"Me? You're the one who's hurt. You could have been killed and it's all my fault…"

"It's not your fault, Will. And it's just a scratch." Buffy assured her, coaxing Willow closer. "I should have been paying attention…" The hacker started to protest, but Buffy put a finger to her lips. "We both got a little carried away, but we will be more careful from now on. And don't forget that you're the hero of the day."

"No."

"Yes. And for your reward…you get to undress me and have your way with me." Buffy offered her a playful smile. Willow simply blushed in response and focused again on the wound.

"Can you…take your shirt off?" The hacker asked a bit sheepishly.

Buffy tried to lift the shirt over her head, but stopped when the pain shot through her side. "I really think I'm gonna need your help with this." She said, grinning in spite of the pain. Willow moved closer, standing between Buffy's knees, and gently tugged at the T-shirt. After dropping the shirt on the counter, she turned back to Buffy and her eyes came to rest on the pale blue satin bra. Willow's breath caught in her throat and she nervously averted her gaze and tried to focus on the slayer's wounded side. Buffy's smile widened as the blush rose on her girlfriend's cheeks.

When the hacker touched the gash with an antiseptic wipe, the slayer groaned a bit. "Sorry." Willow apologized. "I'll try to be more gentle." She carefully cleaned the blood from Buffy's side and found the source – a three-inch gash across the slayer's ribcage. "Maybe you should see a doctor, Buff."

"Nah." Buffy looked down at her side as Willow finished cleaning the wound and reached for a gauze bandage. "It looks like the bleeding has already stopped. Besides, what do I need a doctor for when I already have such a talented and adorable nurse?" Willow shook her head in protest, but continued bandaging the cut and Buffy continued. "With my slayer healing and your TLC, I'll be better in no time."

"All done." Willow announced as she applied the last piece of tape along the edge of the gauze and stepped back to look at her work.

"Thanks." Buffy said, climbing down from the counter. The hacker turned her attention away from her half-naked girlfriend and proceeded to wash her hands. Buffy waited for Willow to finish, but when the redhead finished washing, she didn't turn around and instead busied herself with putting away the first aid kit. The blonde stepped forward, putting her arms around the hacker's waist and whispered in her ear, "Don't you think it's time to take me to bed?"

Willow jumped at the contact, let out a small squeak and dropped the first aid kit on the counter, its contents spilling across the surface. "You…you really do need your sleep so that…you can heal." The hacker said weakly as she scrambled to retrieve the scattered bandages and ointments.

Buffy pushed the first aid kit aside and covered Willow's hand with her own and coaxed the redhead to turn around. "What I need is a kiss from you so that I can heal."

Willow shook her head. "My kiss isn't magic, Buffy."

"Well, I think it is. So, let's just see." The slayer leaned in and captured the redhead's lips. At first reluctant, Willow soon followed her girlfriend's lead and pressed closer as Buffy deepened the kiss.

"I feel better already." Buffy declared breathlessly when they finally parted, both in need of oxygen. Willow chuckled at her girlfriend and pulled her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

"Good…then you should be able to put on your pajamas, right?" The hacker asked, pulling them out of Buffy's bag and placing them on the bed.

"I don't know." The blonde replied. "I might need your help."

"I'm sure you can handle it, Buffy." Willow said with a nervous laugh. "I'll just take my things and change in the bathroom."

"Party pooper." Buffy called after her.

When Willow returned from the bathroom, Buffy was still topless and struggling with her pajama bottoms. Seeing her girlfriend's state of undress, the hacker stopped in her tracks in the doorway and started to turn around.

"Will, I think I'm gonna need your help with the top…"

"Oh. O-okay. Sure, Buffy." The hacker approached and picked up the shirt and shyly helped her girlfriend finish dressing in her pajamas. When Willow's hands brushed against her stomach, Buffy's breath caught in her throat. The hacker pulled away. "Sorry. I-I didn't mean to hurt you."

The slayer reached out to stop the retreating redhead and tried to meet her gaze. "Will. You didn't hurt me."

"But…"

"Not pain." Buffy clarified, pulling Willow close and bringing one of the hacker's hands to rest over her heart.

Feeling the erratic beat of Buffy's heart mimicking her own fluttering pulse, Willow smiled a small, relieved smile. "Oh." The slayer closed the distance between them and tenderly kissed her girlfriend. Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy and returned the kiss. "You really should…get some sleep." The hacker managed to say when the kiss ended.

"Right." Buffy agreed, resting her forehead against Willow's. "Sleep is good."

"Do you need something for the pain?" The hacker asked as Buffy climbed into bed.

"Nah. Feels much better as long as your arms are around me."

"Well, I'll be right here." Willow promised, climbing into her side of the bed. "If you need anything, just wake me up. Okay?"

Buffy nodded and moved into the redhead's waiting arms. Willow wrapped her slayer in a gentle, protective embrace and Buffy smiled a contented smile. "I love you, Will."

"I love you too, Buffy."

* * *

The warrior woke before dawn, instinctively reaching out for the bard but the bedroll beside her was empty. With a quick glance around, she found the strawberry blonde sitting nearby with her scroll before her. "You're up mighty early." Xena noted, smiling at the bard who usually had to be dragged from her bedroll an hour or more after the warrior got up.

Gabrielle looked up from her scroll to smile at the warrior. "Inspiration…it strikes at the oddest times, Xena."

"Are you making any progress?"

"Actually, I think I'm finished." The bard said, affectionately running a hand over the parchment.

"Finished?" The warrior quirked an eyebrow. "How long have you been writing?"

"Most of the night." The bard yawned.

"Why don't you come back to bed?" Xena offered, patting the bedroll beside her.

"Oh, I'm okay. I know you how you like to get an early start and I'm up so…we can go whenever you're ready."

"Actually, I was thinking. We don't really have to be anywhere today. Why don't we just stay here and relax for a day or two? It's a nice spot, right by the lake. All the fish we can eat. And we have enough supplies for another day or two. Besides, there's no rush."

The bard stared at her. "Are you feeling okay, Xena?"

"I feel fine." The warrior replied. "I just think we should take the time to enjoy life more often. Now…stop looking at me like I have two heads and come back to bed, will ya?"

* * *

Buffy woke early and crawled out of bed, leaving Willow to sleep. After getting dressed and leaving a quick note on the nightstand, the slayer headed out of the house and down the street. When she returned a half-hour later, the hacker was still asleep.

A blissful smile lit the blonde's face as she climbed into bed next to the sleeping redhead and kissed her. "Good morning, cutie."

Willow opened smiling green eyes. "Mmmm...good morning." She said, leaning in for another kiss, but never quite making it. "Hey, why is it that you're dressed and I'm still in my pajamas?"

"Cause I went out and got you a surprise." Buffy said excitedly, retrieving a sack from the nightstand.

"But you're hurt, Buff. You should be recuperating."

"Nope. I'm as good as new." The slayer declared. Seeing the skeptical look in the green eyes before her, she lifted the edge of her shirt to offer the proof. "I told you that your kiss was magic." Willow smiled and touched the fading scar where the fresh wound had been just a few hours before. "Now…back to your surprise." Buffy said, handing the sack to Willow.

"A surprise? For me? That's sooo sweet." The redhead mused, eagerly opening the sack. "Donuts. With the chocolate and the sprinkles."

"And that's not all." Buffy said, reaching for another bag and dumping it on the bed between them. "Junk food."

Willow surveyed the pile with childlike wonder. "Chocolatey goodness? M&Ms and Reese's and all of my favorites. Oh, how I've missed you." The redhead cooed.

"One more thing." Buffy said, reaching behind her.

"More? What else could there be?" Willow asked in amazement before the blonde presented the final surprise. "Mochas!" The redhead exclaimed when she saw the familiar cup.

"I thought you might like that." Buffy said with a knowing smile.

"Have I mentioned lately that I kinda love you?" Willow asked, aiming an adoring smile at her girlfriend.

Buffy chuckled. "Maybe, but I never get tired of hearing it."

The redhead sat the drink on her nightstand and aimed a come-hither look at her girlfriend. "I know what this is all about."

"What?" Buffy asked innocently.

"You stocked up on supplies so that you can keep me in bed all day, didn't you?" Buffy laughed as Willow pulled her close.

"You really think I'd do a thing like that?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do." The hacker replied before stealing a kiss. "Mmmm…cherry lip gloss."

"For your kissing pleasure." Buffy said, closing her eyes and offering her lips up for the taking. Willow tackled the slayer enthusiastically and took her mouth captive. When the redhead finally released her, Buffy declared a bit breathlessly, "I think I have a Reese's emergency."

"You want a Reese's?" Willow asked, confusion furrowing her brow.

Buffy wore a lopsided grin. "No. I think I'm laying on one."

"Oh. Sorry. Let me help." Willow said, running her hand under the blonde's back in search of the offending candy bar. "Am I close?"

"I think lower."

"Closer?" Willow asked, sliding her hand under Buffy's butt.

"To what?" Buffy asked with a suggestive laugh. The redhead embarked on a thorough search of the area. "I don't think it's down there." The blonde informed her a moment later.

"Wait, I think I found something." Willow declared, giving Buffy's rear a firm squeeze. The blonde's jaw dropped in shock and the hacker laughed wickedly.

"Okay, this little treasure hunt is over." The slayer declared, flipping Willow onto her back and playfully pinning her to the bed.

"But…I think I just found the treasure…"

Looking down into laughing green eyes, Buffy couldn't stop herself from chuckling at the adorable redhead. Willow took the opportunity to press herself closer and steal a kiss. When the phone rang minutes later, all playfulness had subsided and both slayer and hacker were lost in a passionate embrace.

"Ignore it and they'll go away." Buffy advised.

"But...it could be Giles." Willow pointed out as Buffy trailed kisses along the side of her neck.

"All right." The slayer groaned and collapsed onto her back with a pouting sigh as the hacker reached for the phone on the nightstand.

"Uh, H-hello."

"Is everything all right, Willow?" Giles asked the breathless redhead.

"Oh, yeah, Giles, I just…had to run to the phone." Buffy laughed at the lie and Willow tried to cover the phone so the watcher wouldn't hear.

Giles opted not to question her any further. "I need to speak with Buffy. Is she there?"

"Uh huh. I'll get her for you." Willow said. She lowered the phone with her hand over the mouthpiece and gestured to Buffy.

"Hello."

"Buffy, I did a bit of research last night and I was hoping we could have a meeting."

"Now?"

"Well…yes. I know that you and Willow are still recuperating, but I assure you, it won't take long."

"That's nice…but we can't exactly come to the school to have a meeting when we're supposed to be out sick." Buffy pointed out.

"Quite right." The watcher agreed. "I will come by Willow's house if that's all right."

"Sure. What time?"

"10:00?"

"Right. See you then." Buffy confirmed.

Willow put the phone back on the hook. "Giles is coming over?"

"He'll be here in an hour." Buffy pouted. "I guess we should go downstairs and wait."

"We'll drink our mochas and eat donuts and watch TV until he gets here. And after he leaves, we won't answer the phone or the door for anyone." Willow promised.

"I'm gonna hold you to that." Buffy said, grumbling as she reluctantly crawled out of bed.

* * *

To Be Concluded in Chapter 16


	16. Destiny & Philosophy

_Dedicated to the one I love. You know who you are…_ ;-)

**Chapter 16 – Destiny & Philosophy**

A knock at the door announced the watcher's arrival and Willow got up from the sofa to let him in.

"Good morning, Willow."

"Hi, Giles. Come in."

"I wanted to return this." He said, handing her the laptop as he entered. "It was necessary to read your email. That's how I learned about the spell and was able to bring you home."

"Believe me, I'm glad you did." Willow said. "Thanks for bringing it back to me."

"So…what did you want to talk to us about?" Buffy asked, anxious to get done with the business and back to the fun.

"Ah, yes. Well, after our chat yesterday, I was thinking about what you told me about this Bacchus and something about him seemed familiar. I did a bit of research and turned up something rather interesting."

"Yes?" Buffy prodded.

"There was mention of him in the Codex. Of course, when I had translated those passages two years ago, I assumed that they referred to an earlier slayer because of the time frame involved."

"What are you getting at, Giles?"

"This did not happen by chance." The watcher said, leveling his gaze at the slayer and hacker.

"But Kronos sent Xena and Gabrielle here and then the spell I cast…it sent us there. It was an accident." Willow said.

"It was predestined." Giles corrected, opening the Codex to the relevant page. "Perhaps Kronos played a role. Perhaps that's why he sent them to this time and place. We may never know precisely how, but I assure you it was no accident. Everything that is written in the Codex comes to pass."

"What exactly does it say?" Willow asked curiously, peering over the watcher's shoulder.

"The passage in question, when translated, states that the slayer will encounter a great warrior. That would be Xena, I presume." Giles said, looking up from the book.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. That's a pretty safe bet."

"_Together they will fight the lesser demons_." Giles recounted.

"The Bacchae."

"This part is a bit vague. _Both warrior and slayer will face Bacchus, but neither will defeat him. Love will be his downfall._" The watcher looked up at Buffy. "Perhaps you can shed some more light on exactly how you killed him."

"I stabbed him in the chest with a bone." Buffy said.

"Didn't Xena say that she tried to kill him first?" Willow asked.

"She did. She stabbed him with a bone right through the heart, but it didn't faze him. He said only a Bacchae could kill him. Then I did the same thing and poof. I figured it was a slayer thing." Buffy said with a shrug.

"Not according to the Codex." Giles pointed out, rereading the last line. "_Love will be his downfall._"

"I'm telling you Giles, I killed him." Buffy insisted. Willow leaned in to whisper in the slayer's ear and Buffy's eyes widened. "Right. Of course...that makes sense." She said meeting the hacker's gaze.

Giles watched the exchange that ended with the two girls making goo-goo eyes at each other. When neither one spoke up, the frustrated watcher took the initiative. "Would one of you care to enlighten me as to what in bloody hell is going on?"

"Are you sure you wanna know?" The slayer asked in a lilting voice.

"I wouldn't have asked you otherwise." Giles retorted, perturbed at being out of the loop.

Buffy looked at Willow and the redhead began, "Bacchus said that only a Bacchae could kill him."

"Which normally would never happen since they worship the guy." Buffy interjected.

"But I got bit and was turned into a Bacchae." The watcher's eyes widened at Willow's statement.

"And I was holding her hand when I stabbed him with the bone thingy." Buffy said matter-of-factly.

When the flow of information stopped, the watcher prompted, "And?"

"That's it." Buffy said.

"But the Codex indicates that…"

"Love will be his downfall." Buffy filled in, meeting his gaze.

After a moment's pause, realization dawned in the watcher's eyes and he looked away. He began to fidget with his glasses and it was clear that he finally understood. "Yes, well…" The watcher said, wanting nothing more than to escape.

"You wanted to know." Buffy shrugged at his obvious discomfort. "So, now you know."

"Well…I think that's enough information for now." He said uncomfortably. "There is one other thing that I should mention, however. The Codex referred to this as your first encounter with the warrior."

"First?" Buffy leveled the question at the watcher.

"Does that mean that we'll be seeing them again?" Willow asked excitedly.

"From the wording of the passage, I'd say it's certain that your paths will cross again." Buffy gave Willow's hand a squeeze and their eyes met as they shared a smile. "Oh, and I discovered this in my research and thought you might find it interesting." Giles added, handing Buffy the other book that he'd been holding.

The slayer looked at it unimpressed before handing the book to Willow. "What is it?"

"It is a very rare copy of a collection of ancient writings. It's not the complete set, but it does include the English translation. The scrolls are about your friend Xena. They were written by someone called _the bard of Poteidaia_."

"Gabrielle!" Willow and Buffy answered in unison.

"I thought perhaps you'd like to take a look."

"Thank you so much, Giles." Willow gushed, running her hand over the gold lettering on the cover of the leather-bound volume. "This is amazing."

"Yes, well, I suppose I should be getting back to the library." The watcher said, moving toward the door.

"I'll walk you out." Buffy offered, rising to follow him. When they reached the door, the slayer asked, "How did everything go with Faith?"

"The council picked her up last night." Giles replied. "I called to check in this morning and they confirmed that they had arrived in England without any problems."

"What happens now?"

"I suspect that they will work to rehabilitate and retrain her and if all goes well within a year or two, she will be returned to duty."

"Well, that's good, right?" Buffy asked, looking at the watcher for confirmation.

"Right." Giles agreed. After an awkward pause, he added, "So, I'll be seeing the two of you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early." Buffy said. "And Giles…thanks. For bringing us home and for finding the scrolls and for everything."

"Just glad to have you back." The watcher replied, a bit uncomfortable.

"It's good to be back. It's true what they say…there's no place like home, even if it is on a Hellmouth." The slayer said with a half-laugh.

When the watcher had gone, Willow looked up from the book with an awestruck expression. "Can you believe that we have some of Gabrielle's scrolls?"

"What about all of that stuff about the Codex?" Buffy pointed out.

"Oh, I know. It's amazing to think that all of this was meant to happen. You were destined to meet Xena and go to Ancient Greece."

"Not just me, Will. _We_ were destined to meet Xena and go to Ancient Greece." Buffy said, pulling Willow toward the sofa. "Without you, I never could have beaten Bacchus. Just because you love me."

"Or because you love me." Willow countered, lying down on the sofa beside her girlfriend.

"I think maybe it was a little of both." Buffy chuckled.

"Thanks for not slaying me, you know, while I was a Bacchae." The redhead said.

"You have no idea how scared I was." Buffy traced the line of Willow's face and smiled at her tenderly. "Before that, I think the worst thing I ever faced was going up against the Master." She took a deep breath before continuing. "When I looked at you and saw a demon instead of my Willow…I can't even describe what I felt when I thought I'd lost you. My brain went on permanent vacation. I don't know how I managed to function at all. Just instinct I guess."

"When you killed Bacchus, it was like I woke up. And the last thing I knew before that was being in the cemetery before Gabrielle bit me. I don't really remember anything in between."

"That's probably a good thing."

The redhead's face took on a sullen expression. "Maybe, but…I could have hurt you, Buffy."

Buffy shook her head. "When I found you in Bacchus' lair, you could have attacked me if you wanted to. And you would have won too because I couldn't have killed you. But part of my Willow was still in there somewhere, behind the freaky yellow eyes and the fangs, and you just stood there looking at me. Then, you let me take your hand, we walked over to Bacchus and we killed him." Buffy lifted Willow's chin to meet her gaze. "I think it was the happiest moment of my life when I looked at you and saw these pretty green eyes again."

The hacker didn't know what to say. A tear of relief or happiness rolled down her cheek unnoticed as she searched Buffy's eyes, admiring each fleck of gold in the hazel depths. "You have the most amazing eyes, Buffy." Willow vocalized the thought without even realizing it.

The blonde smiled shyly. "I'm…glad you like them."

"They get darker when you're sad…and sparkle when you're happy. And when you laugh, they dance. I always know how you're feeling just by looking into your eyes."

"What do you see right now?" Buffy asked softly.

The mixture of intensity and tenderness in the slayer's eyes made it hard for Willow to form words, but the answer was simple. "How much you love me."

Buffy answered with a vulnerable smile and they moved into each other's arms, holding on tight while they waited for the world to stop spinning. Sinking into the warmth and softness, Willow sighed into Buffy's hair and pulled the slayer closer. One small kiss sent two hearts racing and the redhead pulled away and rose from the sofa. A question flashed in Buffy's eyes, but quickly faded when Willow held out her hand.

Neither spoke as the hacker led the way up the stairs and into her bedroom. Crippled by resurgent shyness, they stood hand in hand in the middle of the room, both wondering at their first-time fears when this would actually be their second time together.

Buffy finally broke the silence. "We…we don't have to…."

The slayer's sudden bout of shyness brought a small smile to Willow's lips. Shy Buffy was a rarity and the hacker found her utterly disarming. Unable to resist, Willow leaned in to kiss the slayer's lips. The kiss ended all too soon for Buffy's liking and she wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist and pulled her close. "I love you, you know."

Willow smiled and snuggled closer, whispering against Buffy's neck. "I know. I love you, too, Buffy." A shiver ran down the slayer's spine and she buried her face in the hacker's hair with a soft sigh.

"Mmmm…do you have any idea how great you smell?" Buffy asked.

The redhead giggled softly and nuzzled the slayer's throat, brushing her lips across the sensitive skin. "So soft."

The blonde tensed at the contact and chuckled lightly. "Willow Rosenberg…I believe you're trying to seduce me."

"Uh huh." Willow eagerly admitted. Buffy laughed appreciatively. "How am I doing?" The redhead asked, placing a lingering kiss on silky skin.

The slayer shuddered. "Definitely an A, Will."

Willow blushed. "Now who's trying to seduce who?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked innocently, turning her attention to the kissable flesh behind the redhead's ear.

"Ahhh…I…um, mean…you know how I…like good grades." Willow finally managed to get out.

Buffy moved to smile at the hacker and captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss. When they had made love by the lake, it was with a blinding need to be close and the urgency of the moment allowed little time for the simple pleasures. This time they moved at a lingering pace, immersed in intimate discovery with every touch. Their kisses were slow and tender with lengthy pauses between that each spent undressing the other.

When their clothing was cast aside, they took turns with eyes, hands and mouths, slowly discovering all that they had missed in their haste days before. A blush rose on the slayer's cheeks as Willow trailed her hands over every inch of exposed skin. With a small smile on her lips, the redhead followed her hands with intent green eyes, memorizing each place that she touched. When Willow moved closer, committed to making a third trip across the slayer's flesh, this time with her lips as guide, Buffy's knees threatened to give out. She wondered how, without the benefit of slayer strength, the redhead was still standing

"Will…" Her voice was pleading. "Can we maybe…." Buffy cast a desperate glance at the bed and the redhead got the message. She pulled the slayer to the bed and continued her exploration, only grudgingly giving up her turn when they were both breathless and Buffy could take no more.

Buffy focused her attention on Willow. The redhead bit her lower lip as her girlfriend's gaze traveled over her chest. She was wholly unprepared when gentle fingers and soft lips soon followed, leaving her shaking with desire. The hacker's mind, typically teeming with life, was like a barren wasteland at the moment. One thought echoed in her otherwise empty head: _Can pleasure cause permanent brain damage?_

* * *

The afternoon passed unnoticed by the slayer and hacker. It was nearing 4:00 p.m. when they first looked at the clock on the nightstand. Both of them were in desperate need of food and drink so Willow made her way down the stairs for supplies. She returned a minute later with bottled water, peanut butter, bread and the book of scrolls. Buffy took the offered book, but never opened it. She was mesmerized by the view as a certain naked redhead concentrated on assembling the peanut butter sandwiches.

After a little food and a lot of water, they discarded the rest and cuddled up together again. "You don't ever have to go home, do you?" Willow asked, snuggling into the slayer's side with a contented smile. "Cause I would miss you too much." Buffy smiled in return, until a thought invaded her mind...college. Suddenly sad, the smile quickly turned into a frown. Tension rippled through the slayer's body and the redhead looked up at her questioningly. "What's wrong? Did I...did I say something wrong?"

"No. Of course not." Buffy rushed to reassure her. "I was just thinking about college. I mean, assuming we live through graduation, you'll be leaving for college and...I'll miss you - _a lot_. It just kind of hit me. You know...I'm never getting out of here. I kept thinking if I stopped the Mayor or… But I was kidding myself. I mean, there is always going to be something. I'm a Sunnydale girl, no other choice."

Willow shifted onto her back and retrieved an envelope from the nightstand drawer before turning back to face a pouting Buffy. "Must be tough. I mean, here I am, I can do anything I want. I can go to any college in the country, four or five in Europe if I want."

"Please tell me you're going somewhere with this." The slayer said defeatedly.

"No." Willow said with a playful grin as she handed the envelope to Buffy. "I'm not going anywhere."

Hazel eyes lit up as the slayer made out the familiar university seal. "UC Sunnydale?"

"I will be matriculating with the Class of 2003." Willow said with a decisive nod.

"Are you serious?"

"Say...isn't that where you're going?" The redhead asked with a playful smile.

"I can't believe it! Are you serious? Ah, wait, what am I saying? You can't."

"What do you mean, I can't?"

"I won't let you." Buffy said.

"Of the two people here, which is the boss of me?"

"There are better schools."

"Sunnydale's not bad. A-and I can design my own curriculum."

"Okay, well, there are safer schools. There are safer _prisons_. I can't let you stay because of me." Buffy insisted.

"Actually, this isn't about you. Although I'm fond, don't get me wrong, of you. The other night, you know, being captured and all, facing off with Faith. Things just, kind of, got clear. I mean, you've been fighting evil here for three years, and I've helped some, and now we're supposed to decide what we want to do with our lives. And I just realized that that's what I want to do - fight evil, help people. I mean, I-I think it's worth doing. And I don't think you do it because you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."

"I kind of love you." Hazel eyes sparkled.

"Then, shouldn't you be kissing me right about now?" The redhead teased.

Buffy tackled her then and rained kisses all over Willow's face, until another thought occurred to her and she paused. "Roomies?" She asked in a hopeful voice.

"I _might_ be able to arrange it." The hacker noted. "A few minutes with the university's mainframe… That is, if you think you can stand to live with me."

"Heaven _is_ a hard thing to cope with, but I think I can manage." The slayer declared, pulling Willow close and planting an enthusiastic kiss on the hacker's smiling lips.

Another hour passed before Buffy and Willow again relaxed in each other's arms. "I could stay like this forever," The redhead said breathlessly, "but...I really could use a shower."

"Now?" Buffy pouted. The hacker nodded, grinning at her pouting girlfriend. "Oh...alright, but I'll miss you." The blonde conceded. She plucked the book of scrolls from the nightstand, resigned to waiting.

"Join me?" Willow asked, a sly smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Really? Can I?" Buffy asked wide-eyed.

"Uh huh." The redhead giggled as the blush crept up her cheeks.

"You mean it?"

"Come on...before I change my mind." Willow prodded, suddenly feeling her courage slipping.

"Wouldn't want that." Buffy said, abandoning the book and bounding out of the bed, pulling Willow up along with her and kissing the redhead feverishly.

The hacker broke the kiss, breathing heavily. "Okay...shower now? While I can still stand up?" She pleaded.

"Yes, ma'am." Buffy smiled, happily pulling Willow toward the bathroom.

The book of scrolls discarded on the bed in the slayer's haste had fallen open, revealing the final page of a story that the bard had named _The Good, The Bad & The Fangy_…

_And so it was that we met the slayer and her wiccan companion, our Amazon sisters from a distant time and place. They introduced us to a new world, not just in the future, but within our hearts. The God of Wine was but one of the adversaries that we four defeated together, considerably less daunting than facing our own demons. In the time that we shared, we found true friendship and love. Along the way, I think we each found ourselves. _

_We learned the philosophy of that young slayer from the future – "Seize the moment because tomorrow you might be dead." In the lives of warriors, those words resonate with truth. The world is full of evil and great sadness, but there is also beauty and goodness and love. Sometimes you just have to look hard to find it. _

_Now we see it… The sky is bluer, the grass greener and the stars brighter. We smile more often, laugh more richly and love more deeply. I know in my heart that our meeting was no accident. This incredible journey was meant to be. Our lives are forever changed. And though we live ages apart, we will always be great friends, kindred spirits and sisters in arms fighting the good fight, helping people, conquering evil._

The End


End file.
